Obverse. Photo © NumisCorner.com
  • 2 Euro 2004, KM# 114, Finland, Republic, Enlargement of the European Union
  • 2 Euro 2004, KM# 114, Finland, Republic, Enlargement of the European Union
Description

The 2004 enlargement of the European Union was the largest single expansion of the European Union, in terms of territory, number of states, and population to date. The simultaneous accessions concerned the following countries: Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia. This is the first €2 Commemorative Issue for Finland.

Collectors demand a lot this rare 2 euro coin. It was minted in 1 million copies and distributed only in the Finnish territory mixed with other coins. Hence the difficulty of finding them and the great demand of collectors.

Obverse

Depicts a stylised pillar from which ten sprouts grow upwards. This is a metaphorical theme: the ten sprouts represent the growth of the European Union (i.e., the 2004 enlargement which added ten new member states), while the pillar represents the foundation for the growth. Near the bottom of the coin, below the pillar, the word EU is written, and together with the right side of the pillar, representing the Greek small letter "ρ" (rho), it reads "euro". The twelve stars of the European Union adorn the outer ring together with the year mark, which is at the top of the ring.

Designer: Pertti Mäkinen (M)
Mint master of the Mint of Finland: Raimo Makkonen (M)

2004
EUρ
M M

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 edge reads SUOMI FINLAND (the name of the country in Finnish and Swedish, its two official languages) and contains three lion heads

SUOMI FINLAND

2 Euro

Enlargement of the European Union

KM# 114 Schön# 115
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
Mint of Finland

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