Euro gold and silver commemorative coins

This article covers the gold and silver issues of the euro commemorative coins (collectors coins). It also includes some rare cases of bimetal collector coins (such as titanium & niobium).

Eurozone participation
European Union (EU) member states
  19 in the eurozone.
  2 in ERM II, without opt-outs (Bulgaria and Croatia).
  1 in ERM II, with an opt-out (Denmark).
  5 not in ERM II, but obliged to join the eurozone on meeting convergence criteria (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Sweden).
Non-EU member states
  4 using the euro with a monetary agreement (Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican City).
  2 using the euro unilaterally (Kosovo[lower-alpha 1] and Montenegro).

Introduction

In the Eurozone, as a legacy of old national practice is the minting of silver and gold commemorative coins. Unlike normal issues, these coins are not legal tender in all the Eurozone, but only in the country where the coin was issued. This means that while anyone is free to accept these coins as payment only in the country of issue must they be accepted to settle debt, even then this only under specific circumstances.

Despite this, these coins are not really intended to be used as means of payment, as their bullion value generally vastly exceeds their face value, so it does not constitute a serious problem. The major exception is Germany, where silver ten euro commemoratives are available at banks and some retailers at face value. The coins, however, generally do not circulate.

It is uncertain whether the Council of Ministers will grant them legal tender status elsewhere outside national boundaries, as San Marino, Monaco and Vatican City also issue these kinds of coins.

Europa Coin Programme

The Europa coin programme is a multi-member participation of minting precious metal coin with a particular theme that changes each year.

Summary

This is a summary of the euro gold and silver commemorative coins issued by all countries in the eurozone.

CountryIssues By year By metal
20022003200420052006200720082009201020112012GoldSilverOther
Austria152111214131313151516141664799
Belgium56224466767752729
Cyprus412113
Estonia43122
Finland923434544713252011756
France403286042425165506322041945
Germany10577776667823213174
Greece511512134122561338
Ireland2721123433359171
Italy101681510109129121018621
Lithuania4121
Luxembourg231121412153219711
Malta102222255
Monaco9121121145
Netherlands532545622269102230
Portugal1049106771110161315255821
San Marino54455555555552232
Slovakia274599326
Slovenia295557710163
Spain2221511181311181515293741401773
Vatican City50444544544572624
Total155526585642484560465234516426640
CountryIssues By face value
€100,000€500€400€300€250€200€100€50€30€25€20€15€12.5€12€10€8€5€3€2.50€1.50€0.25
Austria13612020192130224
Belgium3164123132
Cyprus312
Estonia211
Finland27421146
France338112818842601610425
Germany6119150
Greece3618126
Ireland27186112
Lithuania412
Malta844
Monaco71222
Netherlands28231310
Portugal5071713823
Slovakia211
Slovenia15663
Spain10862162102285721
Total??????????????????????

Austria

Location of Austria

Austria introduced the Eurocoins in 2002 alongside the general issuance of euros in the Eurozone. From the very beginning, they have been minting a fairly large set of collectors' coins. The record was reached in 2004, when 14 different coins were minted. There was a unique and particular edition of a very special coin: the €100,000 Vienna Philharmonic, only 15 coins minted.

Austria uses mainly gold and silver for its collectors' coins. However, since 2003 a special bimetal coin, €25 face value, has been minted using silver and colored niobium, giving this set of coins a unique characteristic, since they have different color variations every year.

With the exception of the 2004 Vienna Philharmonic coin and the recently introduced 2008 silver €1.25 Vienna Philharmonic, there is no variation in the number of issues when sorted by face value, from €5 to €100 there is a similar number of issues every year.

Vienna Philharmonic coin

A unique piece in the Austrian collection is the Vienna Philharmonic coin. This coin is struck in pure gold, 999.9 fine (24 carats). It is issued every year, in four different face values, sizes and weights. It is used as an investment product (bullion coin), although it finishes almost always in hands of collectors. According to the World gold Council, it was the best selling gold coin in 1992, 1995 and 1996 worldwide.

Since 1 February 2008, this coin is being minted in silver as well. Both sides of the coin feature the same as on the Vienna Philharmonic pure gold coin. Its face value of 1.50 euros gives the silver piece its coin character, but is not relevant for the actual market value of the coin.

2008 Europe taler

Once again Austria made a major milestone in numismatics: the launch of the largest silver coin in the world has been made by Hall in Tirol. It was revealed on the occasion of the 2008 European Championship of Football in Austria and Switzerland. The front side design of the coin is as old as five centuries. 500 years ago in Trient, Kaiser Maximilian I crowned himself Emperor and a propaganda coin was issued by the mint in Hall. On the coin was written: "King of all the lands in Europe". This inscription included the word "Europe" for the first time. The obverse corresponds to that from the time of Maximilian in 1508. It shows the emperor mounted in armour on a horse. This massive coin has a diameter of 360 mm and a weight of 20.08 kg.

A smaller version for collectors will also be minted and will be sold at €108.[1]

Summary

YearIssues By metal By face value
goldsilverothers€100,000€2,000€100€50€25€20€10€5€1.50
20021165221231
200312651222231
2004147611222232
200513661222232
200713661332232
200713661112232
2008156812222331
20091577112222321
2010166912222341
2011146712223311
Total13662659112020192130224
  Coins were minted
  No coins were minted
  Scheduled to be minted

Belgium

Kingdom of Belgium

(in Dutch) Koninkrijk België
(in French) Royaume de Belgique
(in German) Königreich Belgien
ISO 3166 codeBE

Belgium joined the Eurozone in 2002, and since then they have been minting collectors' coins. In the first two years, there were not that many coins being minted, only two issues per year. Since 2004, a gradual increase of their mints has been seen, with a record of six coins minted in 2006 and 2007 respectively.

With the exception of the Belgian €2 commemorative coins and the normal Belgian euro coins, which are intended for circulation, only one coin has been minted by the Royal Belgian Mint using materials other than gold and silver. This coin, the 2006 "50th anniversary of the catastrophe Bois du Cazier at Marcinelle", is a silver coin with a portrait embossed in copper. It is also the only bimetal commemorative coin minted so far; any other collectors' coins have been minted completely in either silver or gold, they have not used any other materials, and they have not minted any other bimetal coins.

They also mint the collectors' coins issues in very low quantities; some of their coins disappear from the market in a few weeks post release. Typically the majority of the coins minted have a face value of €100 or €10. In recent years, coins with face value €50, €25, €20 and €12.50 have also been minted.

Summary

YearIssues By metal By face value
goldsilverOthers€100€50€25€20€12.5€10€5
200221111
200321111
2004422112
2005413112
20066331113
200763311112
200873411122
200921111
Total331518065123142

Cyprus

Republic of Cyprus

Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία (Greek)
Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía
Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti (Turkish)
ISO 3166 codeCY

As of 20 October 2008, one Cypriot euro commemorative coin had been minted. This special high-value commemorative coin is not to be confused with €2 commemorative coins, which are coins designated for circulation and do have legal tender status in all countries of the Eurozone.[2]

Summary

The following table shows the number of coins minted per year. In the first section, the coins are grouped by the metal used, while in the second section they are grouped by their face value.

YearIssues By metal By face value
goldsilverothers€5
2008111
Total10101
  Coins were minted
  No coins were minted

Estonia

Republic of Estonia

Eesti Vabariik

Summary

YearIssues By metal By face value
goldsilverOthers€20€10
201121111
Total211011
  Coins were minted
  No coins were minted

Finland

Republic of Finland

(in Finnish) Suomen tasavalta
(in Swedish) Republiken Finland
ISO 3166 codeFI

Finland joined the eurozone in 2002, and they continued their tradition of minting collectors' coins. They do not mint many coins per year; only three or four coins. The record was reached in 2005 with five coins minted.

Finland, like no other country in the union, has a tendency to use mainly silver in their collectors' coin issues and a very distinctive way of alternating other materials, like gold, nickel-copper, Nordic gold, etc. They have minted more bimetal collectors' coins than gold coins. That is the main reason why the vast majority of the Finnish coins have a low face value, with almost 70% of their issues having a face value of €10 or €5. As a result, the Finnish gold coins have a really high value in the market because they are fairly difficult to find.

Summary

YearIssues By metal By face value
goldsilverOthers€100€50€20€10€5
200231212
20034121121
200431212
20054121121
20065122122
20074121121
20084121121
2009111
Total287156421156
  Coins were minted
  No coins were minted

France

France

France

Summary

YearIssues By metal By face value
goldsilverothers€500€100€50€20€15€10€5€1.50€0.25
2002281412221101185
20036033261432251223
200442221911421332143
20054222191627101142
20065124276311121135
200765303525141154195
20085025254271146142
Total338170163512818842601610425

Germany

Federal Republic of Germany

Bundesrepublik Deutschland
YearIssues By metal By face value
goldsilverothers€200€100€20€10
200272511-5
20037161-6
20047161-6
20057161-6
20066151-5
20076151-5
20086151-5
20097161-6
2010826116
Total61115019150

Greece

Hellenic Republic

Ελληνική Δημοκρατία
Ellīnikī́ Dīmokratía

Greece minted a high number of collectors' coins in 2003 and 2004, in both gold and silver, as part of the celebration of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. After that just a few coins were minted, solely in silver. As of 9 December 2008, 36 variations of Greek commemorative coins had been minted: 15 in 2003, 12 in 2004, one in 2005, three in 2006, four in 2007 and one in 2008.

Summary

The following table shows the number of coins minted per year. In the first section, the coins are grouped by the metal used, while in the second section they are grouped by their face value.

YearIssues By metal By face value
goldsilverOthers€200€100€20€10
2003155101419
2004124848
2005111
2006333
2007444
2008111
2009222
2010111
2011111
2012222
Total42933018132
  Coins were minted
  No coins were minted

Ireland

Ireland

Éire

Ireland joined the eurozone in 2002, however it did not mint any collectors' coins until 2003. Ireland has kept its issues to the very minimum with one or two coins per year. The record was reached in 2008, when four coins where issued.

The vast majority of the Irish coins are made of silver, only since 2006 have Irish euro collectors' coins been seen in gold. In 2003, a very special coin was issued, the only one with a face value of €5 minted so far, and the only one made of two colors (not to be confused with bimetal coins), using alloys of other materials. This coin was issued commemorating the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games hosted in Ireland; it was the biggest mint ever with 60,000 coins released.

In general, Ireland mints coins with very low face values, but because of the rarity of their gold coins, they are quoted in the market at very high values.

Summary

YearIssues By metal By face value
goldsilverOthers€100€50€20€15€10€5
20020
200321111
2004111
2005111
200621111
2007312111
20084221111
2009312111
2010312111
2011312111
2012523212
20132211
2014312111
20153321
20164221111
20173321
2018333
201931212
2020111
Total491335131918162
  Coins were minted
  No coins were minted

Italy

Summary

YearIssues By metal By face value
goldsilverothers€50€20€10€5
20020
20036241122
20048351223
200515692454
200610462242
200710371234
20089361224
20108261133
Total662343-9142122

Luxembourg

Luxembourg

Luxembourg

In 2006, Luxembourg made two bimetallic coins of silver and titanium. In 2009, another 2 bimetallic coins were issued, one of which was made of silver and niobium, and the other one in silver and brass.

Summary

YearIssues By metal By face value
goldsilverothers€25€20€10€5
2002111
2003111
200421111
2005111
20064112112
2007111
200821111
20091--2---2
Total134646143

Malta

Republic of Malta

Repubblika ta' Malta
ISO 3166 codeMT

Malta joined the Eurozone on 1 January 2008. Since then, the country has issued several gold coins denominated €5, €15, €50 or €100, several silver coins denominated €10, one brass coin denominated €5, and one cupro-nickel coin denominated €5. From 2008 to 2012, there were only two issues per year, but this increased since 2013.

In addition, Melita bullion coins struck in gold with denominations of €25, €50 and €100 were issued since 30 November 2018.[3] Since they are not commemorative coins, they are not included in the summary below.

Summary

YearIssues By metal By face value
goldsilverothers€100€50€15€10[4]€5
200821111
200921111
201021111
201121111
201221111
20137341141
201493511152
20158441142
2016523131
201751414
201862311131
201941313
202031212
Total57223321133337

Monaco

Principality of Monaco

Principauté de Monaco
ISO 3166 codeMC

As of 28 December 2008, seven varieties of Monegasque euro commemorative coins have been minted: one in 2002, two in 2003, one in 2004, one in 2005 and two in 2008. These special high-value commemorative coins are not to be confused with €2 commemorative coins, which are coins designated for circulation and do have legal tender status in all countries of the Eurozone.[2]

The following table shows the number of coins minted per year. In the first section, the coins are grouped by the metal used, while in the second section they are grouped by their face value.

Summary

YearIssues By metal By face value
goldsilverOthers€100€20€10€5
2002111
200321111
2004111
2005111
20060
20070
200821111
Total74301222
  Coins were minted
  No coins were minted

Netherlands

Netherlands

Nederland

The Netherlands joined the eurozone in 2002, and it continued its tradition of minting collectors' coins. It does not mint many coins per year; the average is two silver and two gold coins per year. The record was reached in 2006 with six coins minted.

Some issues are also minted in Netherlands Antillean guilder and in Aruban florin. These commemorative coins have the same subject, but a different design. They are also minted in gold and silver versions.

Summary

YearIssues By metal By face value
goldsilverothers€50€20€10€5
200221111
20035321121
200442222
20055321121
200663333
200721111
200821111
200942222
Total301614231411

Portugal

Summary

YearIssues By metal By face value
goldsilverothers€10€87,50€5€2.50€1.50€0.25
20020
2003945162
20041037172
2005615114
20067162221
20077162131
200811155821
200910334721
20101636722921
2011134452272
Total8921472111172153167

San Marino

San Marino

San Marino

Summary

YearIssues By metal By face value
goldsilverothers€50€20€10€5
20024221111
20035231112
20045231112
20055231112
20065231112
20075231112
20085231112
20093-3--12
Total37142377815

Slovakia

Slovakia

Slovensko

Summary

Slovakia joined the Eurozone on 1 January 2009. They had two varieties of Slovak commemorative coins scheduled to be minted in 2009. These special high-value commemorative coins are not to be confused with €2 commemorative coins, which are coins designated for circulation and do have legal tender status in all countries of the Eurozone.[5] So far the coins will be in silver with face value 10 and 20 euro respectively.

YearIssues By metal By face value
goldsilverothers€20€10
20092211
Total202011
  Coins will be minted
  No coins were minted

Slovenia

Republic of Slovenia

Republika Slovenija
ISO 3166 codeSI

Slovenia joined the Eurozone on January 1, 2007. Although they did not mint any collectors' coin in 2007, in such a short time they already built a small collection, with face values ranging from €3 to €100. Is right here, in the face value, where the uniqueness of the Slovenian coins can be found. They have so far €3, €30 and €100 coins; using other materials, silver and gold for each of those coins.

Since the coins are fairly new, they can be easily obtained in the market at a lower value compared to the coins of other countries in the eurozone, particularly those difficult coins to find of 2002 or 2003.

Summary

YearIssues By metal By face value
goldsilverothers€100€30€3
20085221221
20095221221
20105221221
Total15663663

Spain

Kingdom of Spain

Reino de España

Summary

Commemorative coins with a face value lower than €10 are not shown in the table below.

YearIssues By metal By face value
goldsilverothers€400€300€200€100€50€30€20€12€10
200215213111111
2003113821116
200418513131229
200513391112117
200611281111116
2007184141221111
200815510132117
2009153811122115
201013[6]310411-1216
201115[7]61441111319
201216[8]5147121211-9
201316[9]6174113311-11
Total1614713822112209192101197

Vatican City

State of the Vatican City

Stato della Città del Vaticano (in Italian)
ISO 3166 codeVA

Summary

YearIssues By metal By face value
goldsilverothers€100€50€20€10€5
20024221111
20034221111
20044221111
20055231112
20064221111
20074221111
200853211111
Total30151517778

See also

Notes

  1. Kosovo is the subject of a territorial dispute between the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of Serbia. The Republic of Kosovo unilaterally declared independence on 17 February 2008. Serbia continues to claim it as part of its own sovereign territory. The two governments began to normalise relations in 2013, as part of the 2013 Brussels Agreement. Kosovo is currently recognized as an independent state by 98 out of the 193 United Nations member states. In total, 113 UN member states recognized Kosovo at some point, of which 15 later withdrew their recognition.

References

  1. "2008 Europe Taler web site".
  2. "Different types of euro coins". European Commission. Archived from the original on February 16, 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
  3. "Melita bullion coins 2018". Central Bank of Malta. Archived from the original on 21 January 2019.
  4. Malta: Silver 10 euro coins.
  5. "Different types of euro coins". European Commission. Archived from the original on February 16, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-08.
  6. "Emisiones 2010 / 2010 Issues". Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  7. "Emisiones 2011 / 2011 Issues". Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  8. "Emisiones 2012 / 2012 Issues". Retrieved 13 February 2014.
  9. "Emisiones 2013 / 2013 Issues". Retrieved 13 February 2014.
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