New national side of euro coins intended for circulation

(2008/C 228/06)

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 issuance 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: Vatican City State

Subject of commemoration: 2008, The Year of Saint Paul

Description of the design: The inner part of the coin depicts the conversion of Saint Paul on the road to Damascus (the city is visible in the background); the saint, dazzled by a light from the sky, falls from his rearing horse. Two inscriptions are engraved around the portrait: on the left hand side, an inscription denoting the issuing country ‘CITTÀ DEL VATICANO’; on the right hand side, the legend ‘ANNO SANCTO PAULO DICATO’. The year ‘2008’ is inscribed to the right of the portrait, as well as the mintmark ‘R’ and the artist's name ‘VEROI’. Beneath the portrait are the initials of the engraver Luciana De Simoni, ‘L.D.S. INC.’.

The twelve stars of the European flag are depicted on the outer ring.

Number of coins to be issued: 100 000 units

Date of issue: October 2008

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).