New national side of euro coins intended for circulation

(2014/C 360/03)

Euro coins intended for circulation have legal tender status throughout the euro area. The Commission publishes all new euro coin designs with a view to informing all parties required to handle coins in the course of their work as well as the public at large (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 State : Vatican City State

Subject of commemoration : 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall

Description of the design : The design depicts some bricks of the partially collapsed Berlin Wall in the foreground, with the wording ‘XXV ANNIVERSARIO DEL CROLLO DEL MURO DI BERLINO 1989 2014’ (25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall 1989 2014) written within the bricks. An olive branch can be seen in the centre, in a gap between the bricks and a piece of barbed wire, and the Brandenburg Gate appears in the background. At the top, the words ‘CITTA’ DEL VATICANO’ are inscribed.

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

Number of coins to be issued : 103 000 coins

Date of issue : October 2014

(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).