Commemorative Coins Issued in 2009

Issuing states: Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia and Finland

Subject of commemoration: Ten years of economic and monetary union (EMU) and the birth of the euro

Description: The centre of the coin shows a stylised human figure whose left arm is prolonged by the euro symbol. The initials ΓΣ of the artist appear below the euro symbol. The name(s) of the issuing country in the national language(s) appear(s) at the top, while the indication 1999-2009 and the acronym EMU translated into the national language(s) appear at the bottom.

The outer ring depicts the twelve stars of the European flag.

Issuing date: January 2009

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  Belgium 

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  Germany 

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  Finland 

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  France 

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  Greece 

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  Ireland 

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  Italy 

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  Luxembourg 

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  Malta 

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  The Netherlands 

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  Austria 

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  Portugal 

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  Slovakia 

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  Slovenia 

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  Spain 

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  Cyprus 

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In addition, the following countries issue their own EUR 2 commemorative circulation coins:

 

Issuing state: Belgium

Subject of commemoration: Bicentenary of the birth of Louis Braille (1809-1852)

Description: The inner part of the coin features a portrait of Louis Braille between his initials, L and B, in the alphabet that he designed. Above the portrait is the legend ’LOUIS BRAILLE’, and underneath is the issuing country reference, ’BE’, between the dates 1809 and 2009. To the left and right respectively are the mint mark and the signature mark of the Master of the Mint. The coin’s outer ring depicts the twelve stars of the European flag.

Issuing volume: 5 million coins

Issuing date: September 2009

 

Issuing state: Finland

Subject of commemoration: 200th anniversary of the first Diet of Finland and the founding of Central Government Institutions in Finland

Description: The inner part of the coin depicts the profile of the Porvoo Cathedral, which was the site of opening of the first Diet of Finland. The date 1809 appears on the top. The year mark 2009 is on the right hand side. The indication of the issuing country ’FI’ and the mintmark are on the left hand side. The coin’s outer ring depicts the twelve stars of the European flag.

Issuing volume: 1.6 million coins

Issuing date: October 2009

 

Issuing state: Germany

Feature: Saint Louis church (Ludwigskirche), Saarbrücken, Saarland

Description: The inner part of the coin depicts the Saint Louis church (Ludwigskirche) in Saarbrücken. The name of the federal state ’SAARLAND’ and the mintmark, represented by one of the letters ’A’, ’D’, ’F’, ’G’ or ’J’, appear under the monument. The initials ’FB’ of the engraver Friedrich Brenner are displayed on the right of the monument. The lower part of the outer ring of the coin features the name of the issuing country ’BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND’ and the upper part bears the year ’2009’ and twelve stars.

Issuing volume: 30 million coins

Issuing date: February 2009

Edge lettering: EINIGKEIT UND RECHT UND FREIHEIT and the federal eagle.

 

Issuing state: Italy

Subject of commemoration: Bicentenary of the birth of Louis Braille (1809-1852)

Description: The inner part of the coin depicts a hand reading an open book by touch. Above the index finger, which is pointing at the vertical inscription ’LOUIS BRAILLE 1809-2009’, are two birds symbolising freedom of knowledge. The issuing country reference, ’RI’, is at the top right, while the mint mark ’R’ is at the bottom right. Braille’s name is written under the book in the alphabet that he invented. At the very bottom are the initials ’MCC’ of the artist Maria Carmela Colanéri. The coin’s outer ring depicts the twelve stars of the European flag.

Issuing volume: 2 million coins

Issuing date: September/October 2009

 

Issuing state: Luxembourg

Feature: The Grand-Duke Henri and the Grand-Duchess Charlotte

Description: The coin depicts, on the left-hand side of its inner part, the effigy of His Royal Highness, the Grand-Duke Henri superimposed on the effigy of the Grand-Duchess Charlotte, both looking to the left. The vertically aligned text ’LËTZEBUERG’ and the year ’2009’, flanked by the Mintmaster’s mark and the mintmark, appear on the right-hand side of the inner part of the coin. The outer ring of the coin shows the twelve stars of the European flag.

Issuing volume: 1.4 million coins

Issuing date: January 2009

Edge lettering: 2 **, repeated six times, alternately upright and inverted

 

Issuing state: Portugal

Subject of commemoration: 2nd Lusophone Games

Description: The inner part of the coin depicts a gymnast swirling a long ribbon. At the top, the Portuguese coat of arms appears within a semi-circle formed by the name of the issuing country ’PORTUGAL’. In a semi-circle at the bottom the legend ’2.os JOGOS DA LUSOFONIA LISBOA’ is inscribed between the initials ’INCM’ on the left and the artist’s name ’J. AURÉLIO’ on the right. The year ’2009’ appears above the gymnast’s head, to the left. The coin’s outer ring depicts the 12 stars of the European flag, on a background of concentric circular lines.

Issuing volume: 1.25 million coins

Issuing date: June 2009

 

Issuing state: Slovakia

Subject of commemoration: 20th anniversary of freedom and democracy

Description: The inner part of the coin depicts a stylised bell made up of a series of keys. This recalls the demonstration on 17 November 1989, when marching citizens shook their bunches of keys to make a jangling sound. This marked the beginning of the Velvet Revolution. To the bottom right of the design are the artist’s mark and the mint mark of the Slovak Mint (Mincovňa Kremnica). The design is surrounded above by the legend ’17. NOVEMBER SLOBODA – DEMOKRACIA’ and the dates ’1989-2009’ and below by the name of the issuing country, ’SLOVENSKO’. The coin’s outer ring depicts the twelve stars of the European flag.

Issuing volume: 1 million coins

Issuing date: November 2009

 

Issuing state: San Marino

Subject of commemoration: 2009, European Year of Creativity and Innovation

Description: The inner part of the coin depicts objects representing scientific research: a book, a compass, a test tube and a flask. On the left are the three emblematic feathers of the Republic of San Marino. On the right are the year ’2009’ and the mint mark ’R’. Above is the legend ’CREATIVITÀ INNOVAZIONE’. Below are the name of the issuing country ’SAN MARINO’ and the artist’s initials ’A.M.’. The coin’s outer ring depicts the 12 stars of the European flag.

Issuing volume: 130,000 coins

Issuing date: May 2009

 

Issuing state: Vatican

Subject of commemoration: International Year of Astronomy

Description: The inner part of the coin depicts an allegory of the birth of the stars and planets together with several astronomical instruments. The mint mark ’R’ is situated in the bottom left quadrant and the year ’2009’ is at the bottom. The design is surrounded on the bottom left-hand side by the legend ’ANNO INTERNAZIONALE DELL’ASTRONOMIA’ and on the top right-hand side by the name of the issuing country, ’CITTÀ DEL VATICANO’. The coin’s outer ring depicts the twelve stars of the European flag.

Issuing volume: 106,084 coins

Issuing date: October 2009