Euro Coins - Commemorative Issues

Commemorative Issues

Each state allowed to issue coins may also mint one commemorative coin each year. Only €2 coins may be used in this way (for them to be legal tender) and there is a limit on the number that can be issued. The coin must show the normal design criteria, such as the twelve stars, the year and the issuing country.

Greece was the first country to issue a commemorative coin, and was followed by all but Cyprus, Estonia and Ireland. However, in 2007 every eurozone state participated in the Treaty of Rome programme, where all member states issued a coin of similar design to commemorate the signing of the Treaty of Rome, the only difference being the name of the issuing country and the language of the text.

This was repeated in 2009 in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the introduction of the euro. The design was selected by electronic voting by EU citizens.

In 2006, Germany began issuing a series of coins, the German Bundesländer series, showing each of the states of Germany on its coins; this will last until 2021.

Spain started a commemorative coin series Patrimonio de la Humanidad de la UNESCO (UNESCO World Heritage) in 2010, commemorating all of Spain's UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which could continue until 2050. The order in which the coin for a specific site is issued coincides with the order in which they were declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Malta will issue a series of five €2 commemorative coins, all related to the Maltese constitutional history. The first coin was released in 2011 and the last coin will be minted in 2015.