New national side of euro coins intended for circulation

(2017/C 206/08)

Euro coins intended for circulation have legal tender status throughout the euro area. For the purpose of informing the public and all parties who handle the coins, the Commission publishes a description of the designs of all new coins (1). In accordance with the Council conclusions of 10 February 2009 (2), euro-area Member States and countries that have concluded a monetary agreement with the European Union providing for the issuing of euro coins are allowed to issue commemorative euro coins intended for circulation, provided that certain conditions are met, particularly that only the 2-euro denomination is used. These coins have the same technical characteristics as other 2-euro coins, but their national face features a commemorative design that is highly symbolic in national or European terms.

Issuing country : Estonia

Subject of commemoration : Estonia's Independence

Description of the design : The coin features the sinuous trunk of an oak tree where on one side there are depicted the branches and on the other side the leaves. The branches symbolize the time of revolutions and hardships from which the road to Estonia's Independence was paved. The leaves symbolize the strength, achievements and longevity of Estonia. At the bottom left side of the trunk there is the word ‘MAAPÄEV’ (Provisional Assembly of Estonia) and above that the year ‘1917’. At the bottom right side there is the name of the issuing country ‘EESTI’ and below that the year of issuance ‘2017’.

The coin’s outer ring depicts the 12 stars of the European flag.

Number of coins to be issued :

Date of issue : June/July 2017

(1)  See OJ C 373, 28.12.2001, p. 1 for the national faces of all the coins issued in 2002.

(2)  See the conclusions of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council of 10 February 2009 and the Commission Recommendation of 19 December 2008 on common guidelines for the national sides and the issuance of euro coins intended for circulation (OJ L 9, 14.1.2009, p. 52).