Depicts Pope John Paul II, the home where he was born and the Basilica near his home in Wadowice, Poland. At the top left, in semi-circle is the inscription ‘PAPA GIOVANNI PAOLO II’. At the right are the years of his births and death, and the mintmark ‘R’. At the bottom, in semi-circle, is the name of the issuing country. Under the image of the Basilica are the artist’s name ‘G. TITOTTO’ and the engraver’s initials ‘M.A.C. INC’ (Maria Angela Cassol, engraver). The coin’s outer ring depicts the 12 stars of the European flag.

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.”

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