NEW NATIONAL FACES OF EURO COINS INTENDED FOR CIRCULATION

(2006/C 186/02)

The euro coins intended for circulation are legal tender throughout the euro area. In order to provide professionals who handle the coins and the public with information, the Commission publishes the characteristics of the designs of all new coins (1).

Country of issue: Vatican City State

Date of issue: April 2006

Description of designs:

1 EURO CENT, 2 EURO CENT, 5 EURO CENT

The coin portrays the bust of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. Either side of the portrait are, to the left, the designer's initials ‘DL’ and, to the right, the mint mark ‘R’. The legend ‘CITTÀ DEL VATICANO’ followed by the year 2006 is engraved in a semi-circle above the portrait. The twelve stars of the European flag encircle the design.

10 EURO CENT, 20 EURO CENT, 50 EURO CENT

The coin portrays the bust of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. Either side of the portrait are, to the left, the designer's initials ‘DL’ and, to the right, the mint mark ‘R’. The legend ‘CITTÀ DEL VATICANO’ followed by the year 2006 is engraved in a semi-circle below the portrait. The twelve stars of the European flag encircle the design.

1 EURO, 2 EURO

The internal part of the coin portrays the bust of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. The year 2006 surmounted by the mint mark ‘R’ appears to the right of the coin. The legend ‘CITTÀ DEL VATICANO’ is arranged in the form of an arc of a circle broken by the portrait. The twelve stars of the European flag are positioned around the outer circle of the coin.

Edge lettering of the 2 euro coin:

2 ★, repeated six times, alternately upright and inverted.

(1)  See OJ C 373, 28.12.2001, pp. 1-30, for a reference to all the national faces of coins issued in 2002.