New national side of euro coins intended for circulation

(2009/C 5/02)

Euro coins intended for circulation are legal tender throughout the euro area. For the purpose of informing the public and all parties involved who handle the coins, the Commission publishes a description of the designs of all new coins (1). In accordance with the Council conclusions of 8 December 2003 (2), euro-area Member States and those countries that have concluded a Monetary Agreement with the Community providing for the issuing of euro coins intended for circulation are allowed to issue certain quantities of commemorative euro coins for circulation, 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 national side.

Issuing country: Luxembourg

Subject of commemoration: The Grand-Duke Henri and the Grand-Duchess Charlotte

Description of the design: The coin depicts, on the left-hand side of its inner part, the effigy of His Royal Highness, the Grand-Duke Henri superimposed on the effigy of the Grand-Duchess Charlotte, both looking to the left. The vertically aligned text ‘LËTZEBUERG’ and the year ‘2009’, flanked by the Mintmaster's mark and the mintmark, appear on the right-hand side of the inner part of the coin.

The outer ring of the coin shows the twelve stars of the European flag.

Maximum number of coins to be issued: 1 400 000 coins

Approximate date of issue: January 2009

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

(1)  See OJ C 373, 28.12.2001, p. 1 for the national sides of all the coins issued in 2002.

(2)  See the conclusions of the Council (General Affairs) of 8 December 2003 on changes in the design of national sides of euro coins. See also the Commission Recommendation of 29 September 2003 on a common practice for changes to the design of national sides of euro circulation coins (OJ L 264, 15.10.2003, p. 38).