New national side of euro circulation coins

(2006/C 248/03)

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: Republic of San Marino

Subject of commemoration: 500th anniversary of the death of Christopher Columbus

Factual description of the design: portrait of Christopher Columbus and a representation of the three Caravels; above the portrait the inscription ‘SAN MARINO’ and the wind rose; in the middle the mint mark ‘R’; below, the dates ‘1506 — 2006’ in a cartouche and the initials of the author Luciana De Simoni ‘LDS’; on the outer ring, the twelve stars of the European flag surrounding the design.

Issuing volume: 120 000 coins

Approximate issuing date: October 2006

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

(1)  See OJ C 373 of 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 of 15.10.2003, p. 38).