| Common Side 1999-2006/7 |
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New Common Side
2007/8
2008:
Austria
Italy
San Marino
Portugal
Vatican City |
No change |
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As agreed by the informal Economic and Finance Ministers' Council of Verona in April 1996, the euro
coins have a common side and a national side.
For the selection of the design of the first common sides, a competition was organised at European level,
and on 16 June 1997 the Amsterdam European Council decided and made public the winning series.
Photographs of the common sides, together with a brief factual description of the designs, were published
in the Official Journal (1).
On 7 June 2005 the Council decided that the common sides of the 10-, 20- and 50-cent coins and the 1-
and 2-euro coins, which currently represent the European Union before it was enlarged from 15 to 25
Member States in 2004, should be modified so that all Member States of the European Union will in the
future be represented. The common sides of the smallest denomination coins (1-, 2- and 5-cent) represent
Europe in the world and are not affected by the enlargement of the European Union.
The new common sides will be applied as from 2008. The Member States adopting the euro from
2008
onwards will only issue euro coins with the new common sides. The Republic of Slovenia will be the first
of the new Member States to do so. Current euro-area Member States may also start to apply the new
common sides as from 2008 for new coin production, and will in any event switch to the new common
side by 2008 at the latest. |
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On the 10-cent, 20-cent and 50-cent coins, the numeral, representing the value of the coin, appears on the
right-hand side of the common face. Horizontally, below the numeral, appear the words ‘EURO CENT’, the
latter placed below the former. The word ‘CENT’ is written in bigger letters with a major capital ‘C’. Six
straight lines run vertically between the lower and upper left hand side of the face. 12 stars are superimposed
on these lines, one just before the two ends of each line. Superimposed on the mid- and uppersection
of these lines, the European continent is represented. The initials ‘LL’ of the engraver appear
between the numeral and the edge on the right-hand side of the coin. |
On the 1-euro and the 2-euro coins, the numeral, representing the value of the coin, appears on the lefthand
side of the common face. Six straight lines run vertically between the lower and upper right-hand
side of the face. 12 stars are superimposed on these lines, one just before the two ends of each line. The
European continent is represented on the right-hand side of the face. The right-hand part of the representation
is superimposed on the mid-section of the lines. The word ‘EURO’ is superimposed horizontally across
the middle of the right-hand side of the face. Under the ‘O’ of EURO, the initials ‘LL’ of the engraver
appear near the right-hand edge of the coin. |
| Official Journal of the European Union |
| Belgium |
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| In order to conform to the common guidelines on the design of national faces of coins (2), Belgium has
updated the design of the Belgian national face of euro coins to be produced from 2008. Coins from
previous years featuring the old Belgian national face will remain valid. The coin's inner section shows an effigy of His Majesty Albert II, King of the Belgians, in profile facing to
the left. To the right of this, the royal monogram is displayed and, below it, the indication of the country
‘BE’. Underneath the effigy, the signature mark of the Master of the Mint is displayed on the left and the
mint mark on the right, either side of the year. The outer ring of the coin depicts the twelve stars of the
European flag. |
| Official Journal of the European Union |
| Cyprus |
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| The 1, 2 and 5-cent coins show the moufflon, a species of wild sheep found on Cyprus and representative of the island’s wildlife. |
Featured on the 10, 20 and 50-cent coins is the Kyrenia ship, a trading vessel which dates back to the fourth century BC and a symbol of Cyprus’s seafaring history and its importance as a centre of trade. |
The €1 and €2 coins depict a cruciform idol from the Chalcolithic period (3000 BC). This characteristic example of the island’s prehistoric art reflects Cyprus’s place at the heart of civilisation and antiquity. |
| Official Journal of the European Union |
| Malta |
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| The 1, 2 and 5-cent coins depict the altar at the prehistoric temple complex of Mnajdra, built around 3600 BC on a low elevation overlooking the sea. |
The 10, 20 and 50-cent coins bear the Emblem of Malta, a shield displaying a heraldic representation of the Maltese national flag and supporting a mural crown that represents the fortifications of Malta and denotes a city state. The shield is bounded on the left by an olive branch and on the right by a palm branch, symbols of peace traditionally associated with Malta, forming a wreath tied at its base by a ribbon which carries the inscription “Repubblika ta’ Malta” (Republic of Malta). |
The €1 and €2 coins show the emblem used by the Sovereign Order of Malta. During the Order’s rule over Malta, between 1530 and 1798, the eight-pointed cross became associated with the island and is now often referred to as the Maltese Cross. |
| Official Journal of the European Union |
