New national side of euro coins intended for circulation

(2020/C 49/14)

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

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: Estonia

Subject of commemoration: The bicentenary of the discovery of Antarctica

Description of the design: The discovery is linked to Estonia because one of the first men to see Antarctica in 1820 was Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen, a Baltic German seafarer born in Saaremaa, who documented the discovery.

The design depicts a motif of a sailing ship. It also bear the inscriptions ‘Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen’ and ‘ANTARKTIKA 200’, the country name ‘EESTI’ and the year of issuance ‘2020’.

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

Estimated number of coins to be issued: 750 000

Date of issue: Beginning of 2020

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(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).