Obverse. Photo © NumisCorner.com
  • 2 Euro 2015, KM# 138, Luxembourg, Henri, 30th Anniversary of the Flag of Europe
  • 2 Euro 2015, KM# 138, Luxembourg, Henri, 30th Anniversary of the Flag of Europe
Description

In July 2015, the 19 euro-area countries jointly issued a commemorative euro coin celebrating 30 years of the flag of Europe. Regardless of the country, it bears the same design on the national side, normally reserved for a motif specific to that country.

This is the fourth time the euro-area members have decided to collectively issue a commemorative coin: The first was in 2007 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, the second time was in 2009 when sixteen countries commemorated 10 years of the EMU and the third time in 2012 to mark 10 years of euro cash.

A professional jury selected five coin designs among the 62 designs submitted by Euro area mints. Euro-area citizens and residents were invited to select the winning design by public web-voting until 27 May 2015. The winning design of the online vote was by the hand of Georgios Stamatopoulos from the Bank of Greece.

Obverse

In the middle, a flag is displayed as a symbol that unites people and cultures with shared visions and ideals for a better common future. A hologram portrait of Grand Duke of Luxembourg Henri over the flag. Twelve stars that morph into human figures are embracing the birth of a new Europe. At the top, in a semi-circle, are the issuing country and the years. Under the first figure the initials of George Stamatopoulos, the designer. The outer ring contains the twelve stars of the European Union.

The flag of Europe or the European flag is an official symbol used by two separate organisations — the Council of Europe (CoE) and the European Union (EU) — as a symbol representing Europe. It consists of a circle of twelve five-pointed stars on a blue field.

The design was conceived in 1955 and officially adopted later that year by the Council of Europe as a symbol for the whole of Europe. The EU also inherited the emblem's use when it was formed in 1993. It has been in wide official use by the EC since the 1990s, but it has never been given official status in any of the EU's treaties. The flag is used by different European organisations as well as by unified European sporting teams under the name of Team Europe.

Henri (born 16 April 1955) is the Grand Duke of Luxembourg, reigning since 7 October 2000. He is the eldest son of Grand Duke Jean and Princess Joséphine Charlotte of Belgium, and a first cousin of the current King of the Belgians, Philippe.

Mint mark (outer ring): Caduceus (Mercury's wand, a short staff entwined by two serpents, sometimes surmounted by wings), the logo of the Royal Dutch Mint (Utrecht, the Netherlands)

Mint master's mark (below dates): sailboat (Maarten Brouwer)

LËTZEBUERG 1985-2015
ΓΣ

Reverse

A geographical map of Western Europe spans the outer ring and inner core on the right side of the coin. The inscription 2 EURO is superimposed over the map of Europe, with the numeral “2” located in an open field representing the eastern Atlantic Ocean.

12 stars are located on the right side of the outer ring, with six stars atop the map of Europe and six stars below it; six vertical stripes cut across the inner core of the coin, visually connecting the upper and lower star segments.

Luc Luycx, a designer at the Royal Belgian Mint, designed the Euro’s common reverse; his initials, LL, are seen on the right side of the design, just under the “O” in “EURO.”

2 EURO
LL

Edge

Combination of the number 2 and 12 stars repeated six times alternately upright and inverted

2 ★★ 2 ★★ 2 ★★ 2 ★★ 2 ★★ 2 ★★

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Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Circulating)
Material Bi-Metallic
Ring Cupronickel
Center Nickel Brass
Weight 8.5 g
Diameter 25.75 mm
Thickness 2.2 mm
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Royal Dutch Mint (KNM)

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