New national side of euro circulation coins

(2006/C 260/06)

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 2-euro 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: Vatican City State

Subject of commemoration: 5th centenary of the Swiss Pontifical Guard

Factual description of the design: The coin features a Swiss guard taking the solemn oath on the Swiss Guard flag. The inscription ‘GUARDIA SVIZZERA PONTIFICIA’ surrounds the guard, forming a semi-circle which is complemented under the flag by the name of the issuing state ‘CITTÁ DEL VATICANO’. The year 1506 appears on the left side, above the signature of the engraver ‘O. ROSSI’ along the pole of the flag. The year 2006 appears on the upper right side, above the mint mark ‘R’. The twelve stars of the European flag are depicted on the outer ring.

Issue volume: max 100 000 coins

Approximate issue period: November 2006

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).