Description

The coin is dedicated to Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi (c. 1386 – 1466), better known as Donatello, an early Renaissance sculptor from Florence. He studied classical sculpture, and used this to develop a fully Renaissance style in sculpture, whose periods in Rome, Padua and Siena introduced to other parts of Italy a long and productive career.

Italy shares the same theme this year as the country has also issues commemorative coin marking the death of Donatello. San Marino opted for a frontal image and Italy for a profile. Both coins are minted in Italy.

Obverse

Depicts, in the foreground on the left, a portrait of David, being a detail of the bronze sculpture by Donatello (1440, Museum Bargello in Florence). At the centre top, the mintmark ‘R’; on the right, the name of the issuing country ‘SAN MARINO’; at bottom right, the inscription ‘Donatello’, the dates ‘1466-2016’ and, in the centre, the initials of the artist ‘MB’. The coin’s outer ring bears the 12 stars of the European Union.

Engraver: Matt Bonaccorsi (MB)

R
SAN
MARINO
DONATELLO
1466-2016
MB

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

The sequence "2 ★" repeated six times alternately upright and inverted

2 ★ 2 ★ 2 ★ 2 ★ 2 ★ 2 ★

Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Non-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
Italian State Mint and Polygraphic Institute (IPZS)

Related coins

550th Anniversary of Death of Donatello

Bi-Metallic, 8.5 g, ⌀ 25.75 mm