New national side of euro coins intended for circulation

(2019/C 57/12)

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

Euro coins intended for circulation have legal tender status throughout the euro area. For 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 issuance of euro coins are authorised to issue commemorative euro coins intended for circulation, provided that certain conditions are met, one of these being 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 : Ireland

Subject of commemoration : 100 years since the establishment of the Dáil Éireann (Irish Parliament)

Description of the design : The design depicts the first sitting of Dáil Éireann in the Round Room. The Governance of the Irish nation began on the 21st of January and the sitting was conducted entirely in the Irish language to mark the symbolic nature of the meeting. The large Round Room of the Mansion House arcs above the vast congregation of the nation’s first elected Dáil. The words ‘An Chéad Dáil’, at the centre of the design, together with the year ‘1919’ at the top, are inscribed in a traditional uncial font. At the bottom are inscribed the name of the country and the year of issuance ‘ÉIRE 2019’.

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

Number of coins to be issued : 1 000 000 coins

Date of issue : January 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).