National side of the new commemorative 2-euro coin intended for circulation and issued by Germany

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: Germany

Subject of commemoration: The 175th anniversary of the Frankfurt Constitution (also known as the St Paul’s Church Constitution, which was the first attempt to create a unified German nation state.)

Description of the design: The design features several thematic layers. In the foreground is a perspective depiction of St Paul’s Church with the representatives of the national constitutional assembly filing in. This overlays a rendering of the constitutional document and a quill, representing the outcome of the Frankfurt Parliament. Finally, the design is crowned by three female allegories – Unity, Justice and Freedom – and the tricolour flag of black, red and gold. The vibrant three-dimensional relief evokes the timelessness of the basic democratic principles that were put down in writing for the first time and in a foundational way in the Frankfurt Constitution. The coin’s inner ring also features the inscription ‘PAULSKIRCHENVERFASSUNG 1849’ (‘St Paul’s Church Constitution 1849’) and, at the bottom, the year of issue ‘2024’, Germany’s issuing country code ‘D’, the mint mark of the respective mint (‘A’, ‘D’, ‘F’, ‘G’ or ‘J’), and the initials of the artist, Bodo Broschat from Berlin.

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

Estimated number of coins to be issued: 30 000 000

Date of issue: March 2024

(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).