NEW NATIONAL SIDE OF EURO CIRCULATION COINS

(2005/C 283/06)

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 anyone 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), 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 EUR 2 denomination is used. These coins have the technical features of normal euro circulation coins, but bear a commemorative design on the obverse national side.

Issuing State: Italian Republic

Subject of commemoration: 1st anniversary of the signing of the European Constitution

Factual description of the design: The inner part of the coin shows a representation of Europa and the bull. Europa holds a pen and the text of the European Constitution. To the upper left of the image is the mintmark ‘R’. The initials of the engraver Maria Carmela Colaneri ‘MCC’ appear at the lower left. The year of mintage appears in the top right of the illustration above the head of the bull. In the lower part of the illustration there is the monogram of the Italian Republic, ‘RI’. The words ‘COSTITUZIONE EUROPEA’ form a quasi-semicircle on the lower part of the outer ring. Twelve stars are depicted on the upper part of the outer ring.

Issue volume: 18 million coins

Approximate issue period: October 2005

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

(1)  See OJ C 373 of 28.12.2001, pp. 1-30 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 of 15.10.2003, p. 38-39).