New national side of euro circulation coins

(2008/C 21/09)

Euro circulation coins have legal tender status throughout the euro area. The Commission publishes all new euro coin designs (1) with a view to informing all parties required to handle coins in the course of their work and the public at large. In accordance with the Council conclusions of 8 December 2003 (2), euro-area Member States and countries that have concluded a Monetary Agreement with the Community providing for the issuance of euro circulation coins are allowed to issue certain quantities of commemorative euro circulation coins on condition that not more than one new coin design is issued per country per year and that only the 2-euro denomination is used. These coins have the technical features of normal euro circulation coins, but bear a commemorative design on the national side.

Issuing State: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

Subject of commemoration: The Grand-Duke Henri and the official residence ‘Château de Berg’

Factual description of the design: The inner part of the coin shows, on the left-hand side in the foreground, the effigy of His Royal Highness the Grand-Duke Henri looking to the right and, on the right-hand side in the background, the picture of the ‘Château de Berg’. The date 2008, flanked by the mint mark and the mark of the engraving workshop, is inscribed on the top. The name of the issuing country ‘LËTZEBUERG’ appears at the bottom of the design.

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

Issuing volume: 1,3 million coins

Approximate issuing date: End-January 2008

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

(1)  See OJ C 373, 28.12.2001, p. 1 for a reference to all national sides that were issued in 2002.

(2)  See conclusions of the General Affairs Council of 8 December 2003 on changes in the design of national sides of euro coins. See also Commission Recommendation of 29 September 2003 on a common practice for changes to the design of national obverse sides of euro circulation coins (OJ L 264, 15.10.2003, p. 38).