New national side of euro coins intended for circulation

2013/C 219/05

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

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 Community 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 side features a commemorative design that is highly symbolic in national or European terms.

Issuing country: Belgium

Subject of commemoration: 100th anniversary of the creation of the Royal Meteorological Institute (Koninklijk Meteorologisch Instituut/Institut Royal Météorologique)

Description of the design: The obverse of the coin displays in its centre the number 100 with the first zero encircling the abbreviations ‘KMI’ and ‘IRM’ and the second zero representing a sun.

Isobars, raindrops and snowflakes are depicted to the left of the sun. The year ‘2013’ is displayed in the upper rays of the sun and the nationality ‘BE’ is indicated in the lower rays. The mark of the mint master and the mark of the Brussels mint, a helmeted profile of the Archangel Michael, are displayed under the ‘1’ of the number ‘100’.

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

Number of coins to be issued: 2 million

Date of issue: September 2013

(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 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).