New national side of euro coins intended for circulation
(2019/C 356/03)
National side of the new commemorative 2-euro coin intended for circulation and issued by Portugal
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: Portugal.
Subject of commemoration: 600 years of the discovery of the Madeira Archipelago, by the Portuguese navigators Bartolomeu Perestrelo and Tristão Vaz.
Description of the design: The event, known as the first Portuguese territorial discovery, marked a historic milestone in the consolidation of Portugal as a maritime power and gave rise to the Portuguese Age of Discoveries (1418-1522).
The design depicts the Madeira Archipelago and the island of Porto Santo. In semicircle are the inscriptions ‘600 anos do Descobrimento da Madeira e de Porto Santo’ and ‘PORTUGAL 2019’.
The coin’s outer ring depicts the 12 stars of the European flag.
Estimated number of coins to be issued: 500 000.
Date of issue: Second half of 2019.
(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).