2 Euro commemorative coins

2 Euro

C o m m e m o r a t i v e C o i n s

⇑ 2017 ⇑
2018
Image	Country		Date	Feature	Ref.	Volume
🔎		Austria	06 Dec. 2017	100th anniversary of the establishment of the Republic of Austria	20001 20002 20005	12,660,000	•
	Description : The coin, designed by Helmut Andexlinger and Herbert Wähner, shows the head of Athena, taken from the Athena Fountain in front of the Austrian Parliament building in Vienna. The fountain made out of Lasa marble and completed in 1902 was designed by Carl Kundmann, Joseph Tautenhayn and Hugo Haerdtl based on the Athena Farnese statue (a Roman copy of a Greek original). Athena, the goddess of wisdom, serves as a symbol of Austrian parliamentarism and stands for knowledge, reason and strategic abilities ‐ she is supposed to symbolize the timeless validity of democracy. Initially an allegorical depiction of Austria was planned, but out of consideration for the strong national feelings in the Habsburg Monarchy, the politically neutral Athena was ultimately chosen. She wears an Attic helmet with sphinx, flanked by winged horses as helmet bush holders. The front gable of the Parliament building, depicted on the coin was designed by Theophil von Hansen in neoclassical style, this was completed in 1883 and features a sculpture of Emperor Franz Joseph I (1830‐1916) as a Roman emperor, created by Edmund von Hellmer in 1879. On the carriage way, historians are depicted as political admonishers, symbolically reminding the Members of Parliament before entering the Parliament building that their activities must stand before the judgment of history and future generations. Two of these are shown on the coin, on the right the statue of Sallust (86 to ∼35 BC), designed by Wilhelm Seib in 1896, on the left the statue of Titus Livius (59 BC ‐ 17 AD), created by Josef Lax in 1900 ‐ he was also the motif on an Italian 2 € commemorative coin in 2017 celbrating the 2000th anniversary of his death. On the left is the date "2018", below it "100 JAHRE" (100 Years), to the right in a semi circle are the words "REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH" (Republic of Austria). The coin was minted without a mint mark by the Austrian Mint Münze Österreich AG in Vienna.

🔎		Luxembourg	19 Dec. 2017	150 years of the Luxembourg Costitution 19th coin of the Grand‐Ducal Dynasty series	20001 20002 20005	319,100	•
	Description : On the 17th of October 1868, a comprehensive revision of the text of the Constitution of 1848 came into force. On the occasion of the 150th anniversary, the coin designed by Herbert Wähner names the year "1868" of the entry into force of the constitution to the right of the portrait of Grand Duke Henri, the year of issue "2018" and in French "150 ANS" (150 years) as well as the occasion of issue "CONSTITUTION DU GRAND‐DUCHÉ DE LUXEMBOURG" (Constitution of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg) in three lines in the lower half of the pill. Above the country name, the cross‐section of an open book symbolises the text of the constitution. The mint marks flanking the year of issue exist in three different combinations: On coins in rolls, the national mint mark, the Luxembourg lion with double tail, is depicted on the left, and on the right a staff of Hermes the mint mark of the Dutch mint Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt in Utrecht. Coincards and coin sets also show the staff of Hermes on the right and the Servaasbrug (Sint Servaas Bridge in Maastricht) the logo of mint master Stephan Satijn on the left. This is also shown on the left side of coins produced in the Proof manufactoring process, but with the Luxembourg lion with double tail on the right side.

🔎		Italy	02 Jan. 2018	70 years Constitition of Italy	20001 20002 20005	4,000,000	•
	Description : Enrico De Nicola (1877‐1959) signed the Constitution of the Italian Republic as Provisional Head of State on the 27th of December 1947. The coin shows Prime Minister Alcide De Gasperi (1881‐1954) next to him on the left and the President of the Italian Constituent Assembly, Umberto Terracini (1895‐1983), on the right. At the top are the words "COSTITUZIONE" (Constitution) and the country abbreviation "RI" (Repubblica Italiana, Italian Republic); at the bottom are "CON SICURA COSCIENZA" (with a sure conscience), the "R" the mint mark of the Italian mint Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato in Rome and the dates "1948‐2018" ‐ i.e. the year the Italian Constitution came into force and the year of issue of the coin. The coin designer Uliana Pernazza, whose signet "UP" is depicted on the left edge of the pill, used a photo of the act of signing in the Palazzo Giustiniani as a model, but without depicting the official Francesco Cosentino and the keeper of the seal Giuseppe Grassi who were present.

🔎		Slovakia	03 Jan. 2018	25th anniversary of the establishment of the Slovak Republic	20001 20002 20005	1,000,000	•
	Description : The central design symbolises Slovakia's accession to the European Union (2004) and the euro zone (2009). It shows a stylised portal that spans both the outline of Slovakia and a euro symbol surrounded by stars (eight of the twelve symbolising the Europena Union). To the left of the motif is the coat of arms of Slovakia with the Byzantine double cross on a trimount. The name of the issuing country appears in a semicircle on the lower left: "SLOVENSKÁ REPUBLIKA" (Slovak Republic). Its date of foundation "1. 1. 1993" and the year of issue "2018" of the coin are shown below right, above it the mint mark "MK" between two embossing stamps of the Slovak mint Mincovňa Kremnica š.p. in Kremnica and the square seal "PK" of the coin designer Pavel Károly.

🔎		Germany	30 Jan. 2018	Berlin (Charlottenburg Palace) 13th coin in the Federal States series	20001 20002 20005	36,636,500	•
	Description : The coin shows the Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin facing the street but without the equestrian statue of the Great Elector. The palace was extended between 1701‐1713 in the late baroque style by Johann Friedrich Eosander Göthe. The dome of the palace is dominated by a sculpture of Fortuna, the goddess of fate, which is a 4.50 m high replica of the Baroque original and was made of gilded copper plate by Richard Scheibe in 1954, the original being destroyed in the war. In the foreground on top of the two guard houses are marble replicas of an ancient bronze statue known as the Borghesian fencer dating from the 3rd century BC, probably made by Agasias (son of Dositheos) from Ephesus around 100 BC. The year of issue "2018" is shown at the top left, the country abbreviation "D" (for Deutschland / Germany) top right, the federal state name "BERLIN" is at the bottom and below it the German mint mark (A = Staatliche Münze Berlin in Berlin, D = Bayerisches Hauptmünzamt in Munich, F = Staatliche Münzen Baden‐Württemberg in Stuttgart, G = Staatliche Münzen Baden‐Württemberg in Karlsruhe or J = Landesbetrieb Hamburgische Münze in Hamburg). The logo of the coin designer Bodo Broschat is located under the left fencing statue. ‐ ‐ Originally the Reichstag building was to be depicted on the coin.

🔎		Germany	30 Jan. 2018	100th birthday of Helmut Schmidt	20001 20002 20005	30,621,000	•
	Description : The motif shows Helmut Schmidt, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany 1974‐1982, in typical conversational posture. Together with French President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, he took decisive steps towards further European integration. This led to the establishment of the European Council, the introduction of the European Monetary System and the European Currency Unit (ECU) on the 1st of January 1979, which would later become European Economic and Monetary Union and the euro. The name "HELMUT SCHMIDT" is shown in a semicircle in the upper right‐hand corner, with the dates "1918‐2015" and the German mint mark below it (A = Staatliche Münze Berlin in Berlin, D = Bayerisches Hauptmünzamt in Munich, F = Staatliche Münzen Baden‐Württemberg in Stuttgart, G = Staatliche Münzen Baden‐Württemberg in Karlsruhe or J = Landesbetrieb Hamburgische Münze in Hamburg). Mid left is the initial "D" (for Deutschland / Germany) which is the abbreviation for the country of issue, below it the year of issue "2018". At the bottom is the logo of the coin designer Bodo Broschat.

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		Estonia	31 Jan. 2018	Establishment of the states of Estonia and Latvia, Re‐establishment of the state of Lithuania Common Issue of the three Baltic States	20001 20002 20005	500,000	•
		Latvia			20001 20002 20005	512,000
		Lithuania			20001 20002 20005	1,000,000
	Description : The Lithuanian designer Justas Petrulis' design was the winner in a public vote in all three Baltic states to design a joint issue to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the states. The designer symbolises the fate of the three countries as one plait ‐ interwoven by a equal past, present and future. The heraldic symbols of the three states, their coats of arms, and a stylised "100" to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the state are represented. The coat of arms of Lithuania (left) shows a knight on a rearing horse with the cross of Lorraine on the shield, the small national coat of arms of Latvia (centre) shows a rising sun, a lion and a griffin, and the coat of arms of Estonia (right) shows three leopards. On the left hand side is the name of the respective issuing country "EESTI" (Estonia), "LATVIJA" (Latvia) or "LIETUVA" (Lithuania) and on the right hand side the year of issue "2018". The coin was produced by the Lithuanian mint Lietuvos monetų kalykla in Vilnius. On the Lithuanian coin on the left is the circular mint mark "LMK", on the right are the initials "JP" of the coin designer.

🔎		Spain	02 Feb. 2018	Old town of Santiago de Compostela 9th coin in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites series	20001 20002 20005	333,700	•
	Description : Santiago de Compostela, awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, is ‐ next to Rome and Jerusalem ‐ the most important Christian pilgrimage site reached by the Way of St. James. The "Camino de Santiago" is part of a network of old European pilgrim routes that converge at the tomb of St James in Galicia. The coin motif, designed by Alfonso Morales Muñoz, depicts a sculpture of Saint James in the middle of the Holy Door above the Baroque west facade of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, which was designed by Fernando de Casas in 1738‐1750. Five scallops are featured on the hat and cloak. On the left hand side of the motif, forming an arch are the words "ESPAÑA" (Spain) and underneath the year of issue "2018". Below it is the letter "M" adorned with a crown, the mint mark of the Spanish mint Real Casa de la Moneda in Madrid.

🔎		Spain	02 Feb. 2018	50th birthday of Felipe VI of Spain	20001 20002 20005	431,500	•
	Description : The coin motif depicts the coat of arms of the King of Spain. The coat of arms shows a castle with three towers in the top left‐hand corner, symbolising the Kingdom of Castile, which first seperated from the Kingdom of Leon ‐ represented by a lion in the top right‐hand corner ‐ in 1065. The coat of arms of the Principality of Catalonia, founded in 1137 and part of the Crown of Aragon, is represented by vertical stripes at the bottom left, and the Navarra chain at the bottom right represents the Kingdom of Navarre, founded in 824. At the bottom is the pomegranate representing the Kingdom of Granada, founded in 1492. In the centre of the shield is an oval with three lilies represents the Duchy of Anjou, which existed between 1360 and 1481, the king came from the House of Bourbon‐Anjou and this duchy. The shield is surrounded by the chain of the Order of the Golden Fleece and fixed at the bottom is the ram of the Order. On top of the shield is the crown is decorated with a cross on top of an orb. On the left hand side of the motif, forming an arch are the words "ESPAÑA" (Spain), on the right hand side are the words "50 ANIVERSARIO DE S.M. FELIPE VI". (50th birthday of King Felipe VI). At the top left of the motif is the letter "M" adorned with a crown, the mint mark of the Spanish mint Real Casa de la Moneda in Madrid. At the bottom left is the year of issue "2018".

🔎		Estonia	19 Feb. 2018	100 years Independence	20001 20002 20005	1,317,800	•
	Description : The coin, designed by Ionel Lehari and Meelis Opmann, features the logo of the centenary celebrations, in which both the number 18 and the number 100 are prominent. This symbolises the year when Estonia became independent and also reflects the past hundred years. The middle of the "1" and lower circle contain silhouettes of flying doves. At the bottom right in a semi circle is the text "SADA AASTAT EESTI VABARIIKI" (One hundred years of the Republic of Estonia), followed by the country name "EESTI" (Estonia) and "2018" being the year of issue. The quantity minted corresponds to the population of Estonia on 1 January 2017 and was produced without mint marks by the Lithuanian mint Lietuvos monetų kalykla in Vilnius.

🔎		France	19 Feb. 2018	"Bleuet de France" (The French Cornflower of Remembrance)	20001 20002 20004 20005	15,020,000	•
	Description : The symbolic "Bleuet de France" (French Cornflower of Remembrance), the flower of remembrance and solidarity which France uses to commemorate the war victims, widows, orphans and veterans of the First World War called "Grande Guerre". Suzanne Leonhardt, head nurse at the home for disabled soldiers, the Hôtel des Invalides, and Charlotte Malleterre worked to rehabilitate the disabled and had these cornflowers made from handkerchiefs which have been sold since 1916. The flower thus became a symbol of moral and financial support for veterans and war victims together with a reminder of the entire French nation's soldiers fight for country, ideals and a reminder of peace, respect and tolerance. Gaston Doumergue, President during the Third Republic, took over the patronage of the "Bleuet de France" in 1928. Today, the commemoration is for all those who fought or are fighting for freedom, as well as for the victims of terrorism. The cornflower, the central motif of the coin designed by Joaquin Jimenez, is surrounded by the inscription "Le Bleuet de France, fleur de mémoire et de solitarité" (The cornflower of France, flower of remembrance and solidarity). Below it are the country abbreviations "R" and "F" (République française, French Republic) and the dates "1918‐2018" and above them a cornucopia the mint mark of the French mint Monnaie de Paris in Plessac and a pentagon the logo of mint master Yves Sampo. The flag of France, called "Tricolore", is depicted as background, which is tinted following heraldic rules, : left horizontal hatching = blue, centre smooth = white, right vertical hatching = red. 10,000 copies were produced in the proof manufacturing process and coloured (see picture) some being packed in coincards. There are two minting variants, with and without (also coloured) the two vertical lines separating the segments of the Tricolour in the background.

🔎		Italy	05 Mar. 2018	60th anniversary of the formation of the Ministry of Health	20001 20002 20005	3,000,000	•
	Description : From 1861 to 1958, the Ministry of the Interior was responsible for health. In 1958, the Ministry of Health was founded. With the gradual transfer of numerous competences to the regions, it was essentially left with only basic and coordinating tasks. A reform of the Italian ministerial bureaucracy led to the merger of the Ministry with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in 1999. In 2001 it was re‐established as the Ministry of Health, in 2008 the two ministries were merged again, and in 2009 they were split again. The coin designed by Silvia Petrassi shows the head of a young woman as an allegory of health on the left. On the right, the ministry's fields of activity ‐ research, medicine, nutrition and the environment ‐ are symbolically represented by the double helix of DNA, the staff of Hermes, an ear of wheat, a fish, a pumpkin and an apple. At the top is written in a semicircle "MINISTERO DELLA SALUTE 1958‐2018" (Ministry of Health 1958‐2018), with the ligature of the country name "RI" (Repubblica Italiana, Italian Republic) depicted on the left and at the top the "R" the mint mark of the Italian mint Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato in Rome. The ligatured initials "SP" of the designer appear at the bottom left.

🔎		San Marino	05 Apr. 2018	500th birthday of Jacopo Tintoretto	20001 20002 20005	63,100	•
	Description : Jacopo Robusti (1518‐1594), was a painter of the Italian Renaissance and a precursor of the Baroque with his unusual perspectives of space and light. His name Il Tintoretto ("the little dyer") is derived from his father's craft. The coin designed by Luciana De Simoni shows the main motif of his painting The Visitation of Mary, created in 1588 for the Venetian confraternity Scuola Grande di San Rocco, the encounter between the pregnant Mary and her relative Elisabet described in the Gospel according to Luke. Mary, crowned with roses at the hairline, bends towards Elisabet ‐ who, like her, has a halo ‐ surrounded on the left by the leaves of a laurel tree and on the lower right by the dwarf medlar. On the upper left is the country of issue "SAN MARINO" as well as the letter "R" the mint mark of the Italian mint Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato in Rome, below it the signet "LDS" of the coin designer. The dates "1518" and "2018" as well as the name "TINTORETTO" are depicted on the lower right.

🔎		Andorra	12 Apr. 2018	25th anniversary of the Andorran Constitution	20001 20002 20005	75,000	•
	Description : The coin depicts the "Monument a la Constitució" created in 1993 by Emili Armengol i Abril, the monument is to the men and women of Andorra who created the Constitution, and stands in the Square of the Parliament in Andorra la Vella. The Monument shows the silhouettes of a man and a woman in hollow outline and depicts the will of Andorra to become a democratic and social state governed by the rule of law, as laid down in Article 1 of the Constitution and expressed in the referendum of the 14th of March 1993. To the right of the monument is the outline of the Principality of Andorra with its Latin motto "VIRTVS VNITA FORTIOR" (Virtus unita fortior, United virtue is stronger). On the left of the coin is "ANDORRA" and on the right the reason for this issue "25è ANIVERSARI DE LA CONSTITUCIÓ" (25th anniversary of the Constitution), and underneath "1993‐2018". The coin was designed by the Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre (FNMT) part of the Royal Mint Real Casa de la Moneda in Madrid. Andorran coins are minted alternately in the countries of the Princes of Andorra; in 2018 it was the turn of the Royal Mint Real Casa de la Moneda in Madrid.

🔎		Slovenia	14 May 2018	World Bee Day	20001 20002 20005	1,000,000	•
	Description : The 20th May, proclaimed World Bee Day by the United Nations at Slovenia's request, commemorates the birthday of Anton Janscha (1734‐1773), the pioneer of modern beekeeping, who was appointed teacher of beekeeping at the Theresianische Imkerschule in the Augarten district of Vienna by Empress Maria Theresia in 1770. The coin designed by Janez Bizjak shows ‐ in the shape of a globe ‐ a honeycomb with partly covered honey cells, which form roughly stylised outlines of Europe, a large part of Africa and adjacent areas ‐ from the Near East to Arctic North America with Greenland. On the upper left is the inscription "SVETOVNI DAN ČEBEL" (World Bee Day) and on the lower right "SLOVENIJA 2018" (Slovenia 2018). The coin was made without mintmarks by the Italian mint Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato in Rome.

🔎		Portugal	22 May 2018	250 years since the foundation of the Imprensa Nacional	20001 20002 20005	450,500	•
	Description : The commemorative coin, designed by Eduardo Aires, is dedicated to the National Printing Office, founded 250 years ago, which publishes the Portuguese Official Gazette with all the country's legislative measures, as well as books of the highest cultural value and other cultural works. The eight‐line inscription reads "1768‐2018 IMPRENSA NACIONAL DUZENTOS E CINQUENTA 250 ANOS PORTUGAL MMXVIII" (1768‐2018 National Printing House Two Hundred and Fifty 250 Years of Portugal 2018). The Imprensa Nacional ("IN") printing works was merged with the Casa da Moeda ("CM") mint in 1972 to form the Imprensa Nacional‐ Casa da Moeda S.A., whose mint mark "INCM" is shown below right. At the bottom left is "Eduardo Aires", the name of the coin designer.

🔎		Finland	28. May 2018	Koli National Park	20001 20002 20005	1,000,000	•
	Description : Finland's national landscapes symbolise the Finnish character and have a universally recognised significance in Finnish culture, history and perception of nature. The coin, designed by Erkki Vainio after a photo by Juha‐Pekka Jävenpää, shows the view from the top of Mount Koli of the national park of the same name with Lake Pielinen and various islands in Karelia. The mixed forest there is made up of shrub birch (in the coin image on the left) and Norway spruce (on the right), among others. The year of issue "2018" is shown below, the country abbreviation "FI" (Finland) on the left and a lion (the heraldic animal of Finland) on the right the mint mark of the Finnish mint Suomen Rahapaja OY in Vantaa.

🔎		Vatican City	01 Jun. 2018	European Year of Cultural Heritage	20001 20002 20005	94,000	•
	Description : The central motif depicts the marble statue of the Laocoon group housed in the Vatican Pius‐Clemens Museum, a Roman marble copy made in the 1st century AD of a Greek bronze sculpture of Hagesandros, Athanadoros and Polydoros from Rhodes created in the 2nd century BC, which no longer exists. Found on the Esquiline hill in Rome in 1506, this work of art influenced the art of the Italian Renaissance through the aesthetics of Hellenism and immediately aroused Michelangelo's admiration. The statue shows Laocoon, according to Greek mythology a priest in Troy, who was sentenced to death by Athena with his sons Antiphas (right) and Thymbraeus (left) because he warned his fellow citizens about the Trojan horse. In the book Aeneid by Vergil describes their desperate fight with two sea snakes resembling pythons. At the bottom of the motif is the name of the issuing country "Città del VATICANO" (Vatican City) and around the outside the words "ANNO EUROPEO DEL PATRIMONIO CULTURALE" (European Year of Cultural Heritage), below it is the year of issue "2018" and the initial "R" the mint mark of the Italian mint Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato in Rome. At the bottom right is the logo of the coin designer Daniela Longo, "D. Longo", at the bottom left are the initials "C.M.INC" (INC. = Incisore / engraver) of the engraver Claudia Momoni.

🔎		Belgium	19 Jun. 2018	50th anniversary of May 1968 events in Belgium	20001 20002 20005	257,500	•
	Description : The motif shows two students in front of the stylised facade of a university with a flag and a leaflet, respectively, and symbolises student demonstrations that took place in Belgium in May 1968 in connection with the socio‐cultural changes. These events, now 50 years ago, were of nationwide significance and had an impact on Belgian politics and subsequent state reforms. In Belgium, for example, students fought against the French‐language influence at the bilingual University of Leuven. In the months of negotiations ‐ reflecting the Flemish‐Walloon conflict ‐ the modalities of the separation were discussed, in particular the compensation that the Université catholique de Louvain would receive for the buildings and facilities left behind in Leuven. In the autumn of 1968, it was decided to split the university into the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven and the Université catholique de Louvain. For the latter, a new city south of the language border, Louvain‐la‐Neuve ("New Louvain"), was established from 1971 onwards, the first new Belgian foundation of a city in three hundred years. The separation of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel from the then bilingual Université Libre de Bruxelles is also linked to May 1968. At the top it says ‐ in Dutch and French ‐ "mei mai 1968" (May 1968), on the left the coat of arms of the municipality of Herzele the logo of the mint master Ingrid Van Herzele, thestaff of Hermes the mint mark of the Royal Dutch mint Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt in Utrecht, "2018", "BE" (Belgium) as the country identifier and "LL", the initials of the mint designer Luc Luycx.

🔎		Malta	21 Jun. 2018	Mnajdra Temples 3rd coin of the Maltese Prehistoric Sites series	20001 20002 20005	335,000	•
	Description : The coin is dedicated to the prehistoric temple complex of Mnajdra, south of Qrendi, created between 3600 and 2500 BC. Only 500 m away is the cult place Ħaġar Qim. Thousands of years ago this was the only flat coastal strip on the south‐west coast of Malta due to the low water level. The bays provided moorings for water vehicles and allowed the ascent to the temple terrace. The coin depicts the eastern facade of the southern temple of Mnajdras, which was built between 3000 and 2500 BC and is famous for its astronomical orientation. It was apparently built to mark the equinox and the summer solstice. In 1992, Mnajdra, together with other Bronze Age temples in Malta, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site as the Megalithic Temples of Malta. Above is "MNAJDRA", "TEMPLES" and "3600‐2500 BC", below is the name of the issuing country "MALTA" and the year of issue "2018", and on the right is the "NGB" logo of coin designer Noel Galea Bason. The coin was made without a mint mark by the French mint Monnaie de Paris in Plessac. Specimens included in coin sets bear an "F" (for France) in the 6 o'clock star.

🔎		Monaco	25 Jun. 2018	250th birthday of François Joseph Bosio	20001 20002 20005	16,000	•
	Description : The commemorative coin is dedicated to the 250th birthday of the Monegasque sculptor François Joseph Bosio (1768‐1845). It shows his portrait, made by Julien‐Léopold Boilly around 1820, but (as already on Monaco stamps of 1948 and 2018) mirror^dash;inverted. Next to it is the marble sculpture of Salmaki's flower‐wreathed nymph (naiad), created by him in 1826 and exhibited in the Louvre. At the top is the issuing state "MONACO", below "FRANÇOIS‐JOSEPH BOSIO" and a cornucopia as a sign of the French mint Monnaie de Paris in Plessac, "1768 ♦ SCULPTEUR ♦ 2018" (sculptor) and the mint master's mark Yves Sampos, a pentagon.

🔎		France	26 Jun. 2018	Simone Veil	20001 20002 20005	15,021,000	•
	Description : The coin motif shows a portrait of Simone Veil (1927‐2017), a leading figure in the fight for women's rights in France. She brought about the legalisation of abortion, which was passed in 1975 by a French law named after her. Simone Veil née Jacob survived deportation to the Auschwitz‐Birkenau concentration camp and later became one of the most important figures in the advancement of Europe ‐ she was the first President of the elected European Parliament from 1979 to 1982. In 2008, she became a member of the Académie Française (French Acadamy). On the 1st of July 2018 the remains of Simone Veil and her husband Antoine Veil were moved from the Cimetiére Montparnasse to the French Panthéon Hall of Fame. In the top left of of the motif are the inscriptions "SIMONE VEIL" and "1927‐2017". In the depicted plenary hall of the European Parliament in Strasbourg are the country abbreviations "RF" (République française, French Republic) and the year of issue "2018", below it the year "1975" symbolising the introduction of Veil Law ("Loi Veil"), to the right her tattooed concentration camp prisoner number "78651", next to it a cornucopia the mint mark of the French mint Monnaie de Paris in Plessac, together with a pentagon the logo of mint master Yves Sampo and above it a square logo of the designer Joaquin Jimenez.

🔎		Lithuania	26 Jun. 2018	Lithuania's Independence Centenary Song Celebration	20001 20002 20005	500,000	•
	Description : The coin motif, designed by Eglė Ratkutė, shows stylised images of people and birds, which are typical of silhouette art, which is part of Lithuanian folk art, and symbolise folk dances and song. The Baltic Song Festival is part of the centennial celebrations of Lithuanian independence and was declared an intangible cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO in 2008, along with the sutartinés, the polyphonic Lithuanian folk songs. At the bottom of the coin is the issuing country "LIETUVA" (Lithuania), top left the year of issue "2018" and top right the circular mint mark "LMK" of the Lithuanian mint Lietuvos monetų kalykla in Vilnius.

🔎		Portugal	25 Jul. 2018	250 years since the foundation of Ajuda Botanical Garden	20001 20002 20005	450,500	•
	Description : After the Lisbon earthquake of 1755, King Joseph I's prime minister, the Marquis of Pombal, moved the court to Ajuda, then a suburb of the capital. The king bought a farm next to the royal residence to grow fruit and vegetables for consumption in the palace. For these reasons, the Italian naturalist Domenico Vandelli (1735‐1816) planned the first botanical garden in Portugal (and fifteenth in Europe) for the preservation, study and collection of the greatest possible variety of plant species, with the intention that it would serve to educate the king's grandchildren. The gardens were laid out in 1768 in the contemporary symmetrical style of French and Italian gardens and opened to the general public during the reign of King John VI. During this time, the number of species planted increased considerably, thanks to specimens brought by the governors of the colonies. The botanical garden was extensively restored in 1948 after the hurricane‐force storm of February 1941 ‐ one of the five strongest storms to hit Europe in the 20th century. The Ajuda Botanical Garden is part of the University of Lisbon's Agronomy Institute and serves as infrastructure for educational and research purposes. The coin motif shows the garden's landmark, a Canary dragon tree planted in 1760. The occasion of issue "250 ANOS JARDIM BOTÂNICO DA AJUDA" (250 years of the Ajuda Botanical Garden) and "PORTUGAL 2018" are indicated in a circle. Below the dragon tree, "J. FAZENDA" are the signet of the coin master Joao Fazenda and "INCM" the mint mark of the Portuguese mint Imprensa Nacional‐ Casa da Moeda S.A. in Lisbon.

🔎		Luxembourg	27 Aug. 2018	175 years since the death of Grand Duke William I 20th coin of the Grand‐Ducal Dynasty series	20001 20002 20005	311,000	•
	Description : William I (1772‐1843) of the House of Orange‐Nassau was Prince of Nassau‐Orania‐Fulda and from 1815 to 1840 Grand Duke of Luxembourg and in personal union King of the Netherlands as well as 1839/1840 Duke of Limburg. The coin, designed by Herbert Wähner, shows him with the Military Order of Wilhelm to the left of Grand Duke Henri, after a painting - albeit reversed - created in 1819 by by Joseph Paelinck (1781‐1839) from 1819. The vertical inscription gives his French name "GUILLAUME Ier" (William I) and in a second line his dates of life "1772‐1843". Below is the country name "LUXEMBOURG" (Luxembourg in French) and above it the year of issue "2018". The latter is flanked by two mint marks, which exist in three different combinations: On coins in rolls, the national mint mark, the Luxembourg lion with double tail, is depicted on the left and a staff of Hermes is shown on the right the mint mark of the Dutch mint Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt in Utrecht. Coincards also show the staff of Hermes on the right, but the Servaasbrug (Sint‐Servaas Bridge in Maastricht) the logo of mint master Stephan Satijn on the left. This is also shown on the left side of coins produced in the Proof manufactoring process, but with the Luxembourg lion with double tail on the right side.

🔎		Belgium	20 Sep. 2018	50th anniversary of the launch of European satellite ESRO‐2B	20001 20002 20005	257,500	•
	Description : The European satellite "ESRO‐2B" for cosmic radiation research, developed by ESRO with the participation of Belgium, is also known as "Iris 2" (International Radiation Investigation Satellite). Launched in May 1968, it was only fully functional for six months and burned up in 1971 when it re‐entered the Earth's atmosphere. The coin, designed by Luc Luycx, shows it in orbit around the Earth, with Africa with Madagascar, the Near East and western South Asia, Europe and Greenland visible alongside part of Arctic North America and the Brazilian eastern tip of South America. At the top, the occasion of the issue "ESRO‐2B" and the dates "1968" and "2018" are mentioned. Below the satellite is the designation "IRIS", at the bottom the coat of arms of the municipality of Herzele the logo of the mint master Ingrid Van Herzele, the country abbreviation "BE" (Belgium), the staff of Hermes the mint mark of the Royal Dutch mint Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt in Utrecht and the mint designer's initials "LL".

🔎		San Marino	20 Sep. 2018	420th birthday of Gian Lorenzo Berninis	20001 20002 20005	63,100	•
	Description : Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598‐1680) was an Italian sculptor, painter and architect of the Neoclassical Baroque period. He had a decisive influence on the development of Baroque sculpture and architecture in Rome. He created the high altar ciborium over St Peter's tomb in St Peter's Basilica in 1624‐1633, the sculpture Rapture of St Theresa in 1645‐1652 and the colonnades in St Peter's Square in 1656‐1667. The coin shows the marble bust of Constanza Bonarelli (1614‐1662) created by Bernini around 1637, one of the most beautiful and important works of art of the Baroque period (now in the National Museum of Bargello in Florence). Constanza was the wife of his assistant Matteo Bonarelli and his mistress. Because she also began an affair with his brother Luigi Bernini, he beat him up out of jealousy in front of St. Peter's Basilica and had Constanza attacked in her house by his servant, who cut her face. She was sent to prison for adultery, but Gian Lorenzo Bernini was only fined ‐ after the intervention of Pope Urban VIII, who arranged for him to marry Caterina Tezio in 1639. Constanza, like Bernini later, was buried in the Roman basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. Circular are the inscriptions "SAN MARINO" and "BERNINI", on the left are the dates "1598" and "2018", on the right the letter "R" the mint mark of the Italian mint Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato in Rome, below the initials "A.M." of the coin designer Annalisa Masini.

🔎		Latvia	26 Sep. 2018	Zemgale (Semgallen) 4th coin of the Historical Regions series	20001 20002 20005	507,000	•
	Description : The coin designed by Laimonis Šēnbergs, whose plaster model Jānis Strupulis made, is dedicated to Semgale and shows an elk in the coat of arms of the historical region of Latvia ‐ as it was in the coat of arms of Gotthard Kettler, the first Duke of Courland and Semgallia, from 1569. Above the coat of arms it reads "LATVIJA" as the issuing state, below the coat of arms is the inscription "ZEMGALE" (Semigallia). On the right side the year of issue is "2018". The coin was minted without mintmarks by the German mint Staatliche Münzen Baden‐Württemberg in Stuttgart.

🔎		Vatican City	04 Oct. 2018	50th anniversary of the death of Padre Pio	20001 20002 20005	94,000	•
	Description : Pio of Pietrelcina (1887‐1968) belonged to the order of Friars Minor Capuchin. Known as Padre Pio, he was canonised by Pope John Paul II in 2002. He is considered one of the most popular saints in Italy. At the top of the motif in a simicircle is the name of the issuing country "CITTÀ DEL VATICANO" (Vatican City), at the bottom "Padre Pio", on the left the year of his death "1968", and below it the logo "P.DANIELE" of the coin designer Patrizio Daniele. On the right is the year of issue "2018", and below it are "V.D.S.INC." (INC. = Incisore / engraver) of the engraver Valerio de Seta and the initial "R" the mint mark of the Italian mint Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato in Rome.

🔎		Finland	22 Oct. 2018	Finnish Sauna culture	20001 20002 20005	1,000,000	•
	Description : The coin, designed by Erkki Vainio, shows in the foreground a sauna log cabin situated between an aspen (left) and a bog birch (right) on a lake, with smoke rising from its chimney. Small offshore islands and the other shore of the lake are overgrown with mixed forest. In the background, two more smoke columns bear witness to the private saunas popular in Finland (in 2020, UNESCO declared the Finnish sauna an intangible cultural heritage). On the left is the country abbreviation "FI" (Finland), below "2018" and on the right is a lion (the heraldic animal of Finland) the mint mark of the Finnish mint Suomen Rahapaja OY in Vantaa.

🔎		Greece	25 Oct. 2018	75th anniversary of the death of Kostis Palamas	20001 20002 20005	750,000	•
	Description : Kostis Palamas (1858‐1943), a Greek literary figure, made a decisive contribution with his poetry to the fact that the modern Greek vernacular was able to assert itself against the antiquated high‐level language in literature. On the occasion of the 1st Olympic Games in Athens 1896 he wrote the text of the Olympic hymn. On the left is the arched, two‐line text "ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ" ("Hellenic Republic") and "ΚΩΣΤΗΣ ΠΑΛΑΜΑΣ" (Kostis Palamas). A palmette the mint mark of the Greek mint Νομισματοκοπειο / Nomismatokopeio (Bank of Greece ‐ Mint) in Halandri is shown on the left. On the right, the year of issue "2018" and the signet "ΣΤΑΜ" of the coin designer Georgios Stamatopoulos, who designed the portrait after a photograph of the poet.

🔎		Greece	25 Oct. 2018	70th anniversary of the union of the Dodecanese with Greece	20001 20002 20005	750,000	•
	Description : After about 400 years as part of the Ottoman Empire (1523‐1912) the Dodecanese became the Italian Aegean Islands in 1912‐1943. After German occupation (1943‐1945) it became a British protectorate. On the 15th of September 1947 the cession of the Dodecanese agreed with Italy at the 1946 Paris Peace Conference came into force and on the 7th of March 1948 formal unification with Greece was achieved with the creation of the Dodecanese prefecture. The coin, designed by Georgios Stamatopoulos, shows a rose as a symbol of the main island of the Dodecanese, Rhodes, surrounded by concentric stylised waves. Rhodian coins with this rose motif were already minted around 100 BC. At the top is written in a semicircle "1948‐2018 Η ΕΝΩΣΗ ΤΩΝ ΔΩΔΕΚΑΝΗΣΩΝ ΜΕ ΤΗΝ ΕΛΛΑΔΑ" (1948‐2018 union of the Dodecanese with Greece), below "ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ" ("Hellenic Republic"). On the left is a palmette the mint mark of the Greek mint Νομισματοκοπειο / Nomismatokopeio (Bank of Greece ‐ Mint) in Halandri, on the right the signet "ΣΤΑΜ" of the coin designer.

🔎		Malta	07 Nov. 2018	Cultural heritage 3rd coin of the from children in solidarity series	20001 20002 20005	320,000	•
	Description : The coin, designed by student Nicole Dimech, depicts a temple gate typical of the megalithic temples of Malta, with the sunlit stylised dome and bell tower of the Carmelite Church in Valletta. Underneath it is depicted ‐ on the waves of the Mediterranean Sea ‐ a luzzu, a typical Maltese fishing boat over which the flag of Malta with the St George's Cross is flying. The right half of the flag is ‐ following the heraldic rules of tingierung ‐ represented by vertical hatching with the tincture red. Above is "Malta", below the year of issue "2018". The coin was minted by the French mint Monnaie de Paris in Plessac without a mint mark; in Coincard specimens, the year is flanked on the left by a cornucopia as their mint mark, while on the right a pentagon represents the mint master's mark Yves Sampos.

🔎		Andorra	26 Nov. 2018	70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights	20001 20002 20005	75,000	•
	Description : The coin, designed by the artist Judit Gaset Flinch from La Seu d'Urgell, shows seven staircases symbolizing the seven administrative districts of Andorra in the shape of mountains all leading down to the centre of the coin where the name of the issuing country, "ANDORRA", and the year of issue, "2018" are found. The stairs also represent the branches of a stylised tree, which symbolises humanity and Andorra part of it. The thirty leaves sprouting from the branches represent the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The coin is surrounded by the circular lettering "70 ANYS DE LA DECLARACIÓ UNIVERSAL DELS DRETS HUMANS" (70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights). The silhouette of the Pyrenees can be found in a y‐shaped ornament at the bottom left of the coin. Andorran coins are alternately minted in the countries of the Princes of Andorra; in 2018 it was the turn of the Royal Mint Real Casa de la Moneda in Madrid.

⇓ 2019 ⇓

References :
20001	Images taken with authorisation by the ECB ‐ Mail dated 20th of Feb.2020 © "European Central Bank"	20002	Data mirrored from Wikipedia Page "2_euro_commemorative_coins" with friendly support of the guardians of that page.
20003	Not Applicable	20004	Coloured version of this Commemorative Coin in circulation EU‐legal‐technical specifications do not recongnise colour prints, but the EU is tolerate them, due to the facts that their numbers are very small and that they are sold in special packs and therefor are very unlikely to be used as currency.
20005	enlarged Images taken with authorisation by Gerd Seyffert © "Gerd Seyffert 2021"	20006	Not Applicable