There are eight denominations of euro coins, ranging from one cent to two euro (the euro is divided into a hundred cents). The coins first came into use in 2002. They have a common reverse, portraying a map of Europe, but each country in the eurozone has its own design on the obverse, which means that each coin has a variety of different designs in circulation at once. Four European microstates that are not members of the European Union (Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, and the Vatican City) use the euro as their currency and also have the right to mint coins with their own designs on the obverse side.
The coins are minted at numerous national mints across the eurozone to strict national quotas. Not every eurozone member state has its own mint. Obverse designs are chosen nationally, while the reverse and the currency as a whole is managed by the European Central Bank (ECB).
In addition, individual countries may issue 2 euro commemorative coins, valid throughout the eurozone; as well as "collector coins", not intended for circulation, usually minted in precious metals, with a different face value and design from those intended for circulation, and valid only in the issuing country.
History
The euro came into existence on 1 January 1999. It had been a goal of the European Union (EU) and its predecessors since the 1960s. The Maastricht Treaty entered into force in 1993 with the goal of creating economic and monetary union by 1999 for all EU states except the United Kingdom and Denmark (even though Denmark has a fixed exchange rate policy with the euro).
In 1999, the currency was born virtually and in 2002 notes and coins began to circulate. It rapidly replaced the former national currencies and the eurozone has since expanded further to some newer EU states. In 2009 the Lisbon Treaty formalised its political authority, the Eurogroup, alongside the European Central Bank.
In 2004, the very first €2 commemorative coin was issued by Greece to celebrate the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004.
As the EU's membership has since expanded in 2004, 2007 and 2013, with further expansions envisaged, the common face of all euro coins from the value of 10c and above were redesigned in 2007 to show a new map.
Slovenia joined the eurozone in 2007, Cyprus and Malta joined in 2008, Slovakia in 2009, Estonia in 2011, Latvia in 2014, Lithuania in 2015, Croatia in 2023 and Bulgaria in 2026, thus introducing nine more national-side designs.
Specification There are eight different denominations of euro coins: €0.01, €0.02, €0.05, €0.10, €0.20, €0.50, €1.00 and €2.00 The €0.01, €0.02 and €0.05 coins show Europe in relation to Asia and Africa in the world. The remaining coins show the EU before its enlargement in May 2004 if minted before 1 January 2007, a map of Europe if minted after. Coins from Austria, Italy, Portugal, San Marino and the Vatican City show the map if minted in 2008 or later.
Vatican Euro coins with images of Pope Francis and Pope Benedict XVI
The common side was designed by Luc Luycx of the Royal Belgian Mint. They symbolise the unity of the EU. The national sides were designed by the national central banks of the Eurosystem in separate competitions. There are specifications which apply to all coins such as the requirement of including twelve stars. National designs were not allowed to change until the end of 2008, unless a monarch (whose portrait usually appears on the coins) dies or abdicates. National designs have seen some changes due to a new rule stating that national designs should include the name of the issuing country.
The common side of the €0.01, €0.02 and €0.05 coins depict the denomination, the words 'EURO CENT' beside it, twelve stars and Europe highlighted on a globe in relation to Asia and Africa in the world. The common side of the €0.10, €0.20 and €0.50 coins currently depict the denomination on the right, the words 'EURO CENT' underneath it, with twelve stars and the European continent on the left.
Coins minted from 1999 to 2006 depicted only the EU15, rather than the entire European continent, which is on coins minted after 2007. The common side of the €1 and €2 coins depict the denomination on the left, the currency, map of Europe and twelve stars on the right. Similarly, coins minted from 1999 to 2006 depicted the EU15, rather than the whole European continent, which is on coins minted from 2007.
The 1c, 2c and 5c coins, however, keep their old design, showing a geographical map of Europe with the 15 member states of 2002 raised somewhat above the rest of the map.
+ Euro coins – Common side ValueImageColourMeasurementsCompositionEdge1999–2007 2007–present Main Secondary Diameter(mm) Thickness(mm) Mass(g) 1c Bronze None 16.25 1.67 2.30 Copper-covered steel Smooth 2c 18.75 1.67 3.06 Smooth with a groove 5c 21.25 1.67 3.92 Smooth 10c Gold 19.75 1.93 4.10 Nordic Gold Shaped edge with fine scallops 20c 22.25 2.14 5.74 Plain with seven indents (Spanish Flower) 50c 24.25 2.38 7.80 Shaped edge with fine scallops €1 Silver Gold 23.25 2.33 7.50 Outer part: nickel brass Inner part: Layers of copper-nickel, nickel, copper-nickel Interrupted milled €2 Gold Silver 25.75 2.20 8.50 Outer part: copper-nickel Inner part: Layers of nickel brass, nickel, nickel brass. Fine milled with edge lettering (varies according to issuing state)
Design Common side All coins have a common reverse side showing how much the coin is worth, with a design by Belgian designer Luc Luycx. The design of the 1c, 2c and 5c coins shows Europe's place in the world as a whole, The 10c coins and above show either the 15 countries that were the European Union in 2002, or, if minted after 2007, the whole European continent, along with Luc Luycx's signature, which is visible as two L letters connected together (LL). Coins from Austria, Italy, Portugal, San Marino and the Vatican City show the new design if minted 2008 or later. The coins symbolise the unity of the EU.
Current design On June 7 2005, the European Council decided that the common side of the 10 euro cent to €2 coins should be brought up to date to reflect the enlargement of the EU in 2004. The 1c, 2c and 5c coins show Europe in relation to the rest of the world, therefore they remained unchanged. In 2007, the new design was introduced. The design still retains all elements of the original designs, including the twelve stars, but the map of the fifteen states is replaced by one showing the whole of Europe as a continent, without borders, to stress unity. These coins were not mandatory for existing eurozone members when introduced in 2007, but became so for every member in 2008.
Starting in 2017 the 1, 2, and 5 euro cent coins from individual member states have started adjusting their common side design to a new version, identified by smaller and more rounded numeral and longer lines outside of the stars at the coin's circumference. Starting in 2023 a similar design change started being implemented for the 10, 20, and 50 euro cent coins.
Cyprus is shown several hundred kilometers northwest of its real position in order to include it on the map. On the €1 and €2 coins, the island is shown to be directly east of mainland Greece; on the €0.10, €0.20 and €0.50 coins, it appears directly below Crete. The original proposal from the European Commission was to include Turkey on the map, but this design was rejected by the Council.
Initial design The original designs of the 10c, 20c and 50c coins showed the outline of each of the 15 EU member states. Each state was shown as separate from the others, thus giving Europe the appearance of an archipelago. EU member states outside the eurozone (Denmark, Sweden, and the United Kingdom) were also depicted. Non-EU states were not depicted.
On the €1 and €2 coins, the landmass appeared more cohesive although borders were indicated. As in current issues, all coins featured 12 stars in their design.
Researchers from the University of Zürich warned that an external ring of metal surrounding an inner pill of a different colour, as in the euro coins, can lead to the release of high levels of nickel, causing allergic reactions with people sensitive to the metal. The researchers also warned that the coins could contain between 240 and 320 times the amount of nickel allowed under the EU nickel directive.
National sides
The obverse side varies from state to state, with each member allowed to choose its own design. Each of the eight coins can have the same design (such as Irish coins), or can vary from coin to coin (such as Italian coins), among other possibilities. In monarchies, the national side usually features a portrait of the country's monarch, often in a design carried over from the former currency (e.g. Belgian coins). Republics tend to feature national monuments, symbols, or stylised designs (such as French coins). Engravings on the edge of the €2 coin are also subject to national choice.
There are at present no plans to abolish the national designs in favour of a common European one. However, the Commission has proposed that the 1c, 2c and 5c coins have a common design to keep costs down.
Though they are not members of the EU, Monaco, San Marino, and the Vatican City (and Andorra since 2014) also have euro coins featuring a national side, but a considerable number of these coins were not put into general circulation by the authorities who instead sold them to collectors for prices higher than their face value. Due to this, in 2012, a European Regulation established that: "A minor proportion, not exceeding 5% of the cumulated total net value and volume of circulation coins issued by a Member State, taking into account only years with positive net issuance, may be put on the market above face value if justified by the special quality of the coin, a special packaging or any additional services provided".
No territories associated with eurozone countries issue their own euro coins. France and the Netherlands have overseas regions with their own currencies.
On the coins of Belgium, Finland, France, the Netherlands and Spain, the first year shown is 1999 (when the euro was formally established). On the coins of Monaco, the first date is 2001. As for the coins of the remaining countries (Austria, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, San Marino and the Vatican City), the first year shown is 2002, the year the euro entered circulation.
Since 2026, there are 25 countries (the 21 members of the eurozone and the 4 European microstates mentioned above) issue euro coins with their own national sides, which adds up to a total of 200 different euro coins each year (provided all denominations are issued), not counting commemorative coins or "collector coins".
Regulations The basis for the euro coins is derived from a European recommendation from 2003, which allowed changing the national obverse sides of euro coins from 1 January 2004 onwards. However, a number of recommendations and restrictions still apply.
Euro coins must still have a common reverse side, so only the national obverse sides may be varied. Also, the standard national obverse sides per se should not be changed until the end of 2008, unless the head of state depicted on some coins changes before then. (This clause already came into effect for Monaco and the Vatican City, whose heads of state—Rainier III and Pope John Paul II respectively—died in 2005 and whose national obverse sides were changed for 2006).
In 2005, another recommendation added two more guidelines regarding the design of the coins. The state issuing a coin should in some way clearly be identified on the obverse side, either by stating the full name or a clearly identifiable abbreviation of it; and neither name nor the denomination of the coin should be repeated on the obverse, as it is already featured on the common reverse side.