Obverse. Photo © NumisCorner.com
  • 2 Euro 2012, KM# 317, Belgium, Albert II, 75th Anniversary of the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition
  • 2 Euro 2012, KM# 317, Belgium, Albert II, 75th Anniversary of the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition
Description

The Queen Elisabeth Competition is a competition for career-starting musicians held in Brussels. It is a competition for classical violinists (from 1937), pianists (from 1938), singers (from 1988) and cellists (from 2017). It also held international competitions for composers from 1953 to 2012. Since its foundation, it is considered one of the most challenging and prestigious competitions for instrumentalists. In 1957 the Queen Elisabeth Competition was one of the founding members of the World Federation of International Music Competitions.

The competition is named after Elisabeth (1876–1965), Queen consort of the Belgians as the spouse of King Albert I, and a Duchess in Bavaria by birth. She was the mother of King Leopold III of Belgium and of Queen Marie José of Italy, and grandmother of kings Baudouin and Albert II of Belgium.

Obverse

Depicts the emblem of the Queen Elisabeth Competition superimposed on the effigy of Queen Elisabeth, looking to the left, flanked on the left and right respectively by the mark of the mint master (quill, Serge Lesens, 2009-2012) and the mark of the Royal Belgian Mint (a helmeted profile of the Archangel Michael).

The years 1937-2012 are inscribed above the effigy, and the words 'QUEEN ELISABETH COMPETITION' below it. The nationality 'BE' is indicated to the right of the portrait of the Queen.

The outer ring depicts the 12 stars of the European flag.

1937 - 2012
EE
BE
QUEEN ELISABETH COMPETITION

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 ★ ★

2 Euro

75th Anniversary of the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition

KM# 317 Schön# 290 LA# BEM-8.13
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 Belgian Mint

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