| Common Side 1999-2006/7 |
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New Common Side
2007-9
2009:
Monaco |
No change |
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As agreed by the informal Economic and Finance Ministers' Council of Verona in April 1996, the euro
coins have a common side and a national side.
For the selection of the design of the first common sides, a competition was organised at European level,
and on 16 June 1997 the Amsterdam European Council decided and made public the winning series.
Photographs of the common sides, together with a brief factual description of the designs, were published
in the Official Journal (1).
On 7 June 2005 the Council decided that the common sides of the 10-, 20- and 50-cent coins and the 1-
and 2-euro coins, which currently represent the European Union before it was enlarged from 15 to 25
Member States in 2004, should be modified so that all Member States of the European Union will in the
future be represented. The common sides of the smallest denomination coins (1-, 2- and 5-cent) represent
Europe in the world and are not affected by the enlargement of the European Union.
The new common sides will be applied as from 2008. The Member States adopting the euro from
2008
onwards will only issue euro coins with the new common sides. The Republic of Slovenia will be the first
of the new Member States to do so. Current euro-area Member States may also start to apply the new
common sides as from 2008 for new coin production, and will in any event switch to the new common
side by 2008 at the latest. |
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On the 10-cent, 20-cent and 50-cent coins, the numeral, representing the value of the coin, appears on the
right-hand side of the common face. Horizontally, below the numeral, appear the words ‘EURO CENT’, the
latter placed below the former. The word ‘CENT’ is written in bigger letters with a major capital ‘C’. Six
straight lines run vertically between the lower and upper left hand side of the face. 12 stars are superimposed
on these lines, one just before the two ends of each line. Superimposed on the mid- and uppersection
of these lines, the European continent is represented. The initials ‘LL’ of the engraver appear
between the numeral and the edge on the right-hand side of the coin. |
On the 1-euro and the 2-euro coins, the numeral, representing the value of the coin, appears on the lefthand
side of the common face. Six straight lines run vertically between the lower and upper right-hand
side of the face. 12 stars are superimposed on these lines, one just before the two ends of each line. The
European continent is represented on the right-hand side of the face. The right-hand part of the representation
is superimposed on the mid-section of the lines. The word ‘EURO’ is superimposed horizontally across
the middle of the right-hand side of the face. Under the ‘O’ of EURO, the initials ‘LL’ of the engraver
appear near the right-hand edge of the coin. |
| Official Journal of the European Union |
| Monaco |
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| After the death of Prince Rainier III of Monaco he was succeeded by his son Prince Albert II of Monaco. Consequently a new national side was designed. This was issued in 2006, but evidently with an "old" common side. In 2007 a 1 euro coin was issued with a "new" common side and in 2009 all coins were issued with a "new" common side. In 2009 8.000 BU sets of 8 coins were issued. Additionally 250.000 of the 2 euro coin were issued in circulation quality. |
| Official Journal of the European Union |
| Belgium |
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| In order to conform to the common guidelines on the design of national faces of coins (2), Belgium has again
updated the design of the Belgian national face of euro coins to be produced from 2009. The update of the effigy of His Majesty Albert II of Belgium that took place in 2008 was not allowed, because the effigy of a reigning head of state can not be adapted within a period of 15 years. The rest of the coin has not been changed. (Since no official pictures were found on the web, these are scans from a BU set). |
| Official Journal of the European Union |
| Slovakia |
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| The 1,2 and 5 cent coins show the highest peak in the Tatra mountains, the Kriván, symbol of the Slovakian sovereinty, as well as the national coat of arms. |
The 10,20 and 50 cent coins show Bratislava castle and the national coat of arms. |
The 1 and 2 euro coins show the double cross standing on the highest of three hills, as is depicted in the national coat of arms of the country. |
| Official Journal of the European Union |
