General de Gaulle - The call

Issuance year - 2010, June

70th anniversary of the Appeal of June 18

Not a nice photo of the General de Gaulle coin, but... It commemorates the 70th anniversary of the appeal (“Appel du 18 juin”) made by General de Gaulle – the leader of the Free French Forces – on the BBC in London on 18 June 1940, after the fall of France. Addressing the French people, de Gaulle declared that the war was not yet over. The speech is considered to mark the birth of the French Resistance and the beginning of its fight against the occupation of France during World War II.

This coin was sent by Miguel C., from Madrid, in our last swap. See last post.

Issuing volume: 20.000.000

Botanical garden

Issuance year - 2010, May200th anniversary of the botanical garden in Ljubljana

2 commemorative and 2 currency coins were what Miguel C. from Madrid, Spain, sent me in our last swap this month. Depicted in the image is probably the nicest coin of 2010, which as a very original design (it features the Rebrincevolistna Hladnikija plant and on the left, under the plant, it's scientific name, Hladnikia Pastinacifolia, is written in an arc).

The Botanical garden of Ljubljana, established in 1810, is our oldest cultural, scientific and educational institution which has been functioning uninterruptedly ever since its foundation. Its plant collection includes more than 4500 species, subspecies and form, one third of which are autochthonous, while two thirds came from various parts of Europe and other continents. The garden has been maintaining exchange contacts with more than 270 botanical gardens world-wide.

See next post to discover what is the coin in the background.

Issuing volume: 1.000.000

Newest portuguese coin

Issued year - 2010, September

Finally the fabulous commemorative portuguese coin. To celebrate 100 years of the Portuguese Republic, (1910-2010), Portugal issued last month, this beautiful 2 € coin. The inner part of the coin shows in the centre the Portuguese coat of arms and the República effigy, two of the most representative symbols of the Portuguese Republic, surrounded by the legend República Portuguesa — 1910–2010, the mint mark and the name of the designer JOSE CÂNDIDO. The twelve stars of the European Union surround the design on the outer ring of the coin.

At the moment, several coins are available to swap

Issuing volume: 2.035.000

Rare and precious...

Issued year - 2010, March

Once again, Alexandra Vieira, a workmate, gave me these two rare and precious portuguese coins.

The "Justo de D. João II", with a face value of 5 euros, is the second of five coins being issued by the Portuguese Mint and Official Printing Office, that initiates, in 2009, the minting of a series of collection coins called «Tesouros Numismáticos Portugueses» (Portuguese Numismatic Treasures) recreating five of the most beautiful and rare examples of Portuguese coins. They are the «Morabitino de D. Sancho II» (last year), «Justo de D. João II» (2010), the «Português de D. Manuell», the «Peça 1722 – Lisboa», of D. João V, and the «Peça 1833 – Degolada», of D. Maria II.

The Justo D. John II King centralizing par excellence, who fought for this, the aristocracy, even beheaded some of its key figures, the king was then the center of everything, as the currency shows us: a king in the center of the coin, seated on the throne, with mantle, crown and sword.

Face Value: 5,00 Euro
Diameter: 30 mm
Weight: 14 g in copper nickel

One for me and the other is not available for swap.

Issuing volume: 150.000

Fabulous 4 "2010" coins

Issued year - 2010, JanuaryStill without my camera (not any more), so no image of the 4 different mintmarks 2010 German "Bremen" coins, sent by Bernard, from Netherlands, in our last swap. Now, only one mintmark, "D" is missing. The inner part of this coin features the Town Hall of Bremen, with the Roland statue in the foreground.

Germany started the commemorative coin series "Die 16 Bundesländer der Bundesrepublik Deutschland" (The 16 States of the Federal Republic of Germany) in 2006. One coin representing a German state will be issued per year between 2006 and 2021 and will coincide with that state's presidency of the 'Bundesrat'.

A = Berlin Mint; D = Munich Mint; F = Stuttgart Mint;G = Karslruhe Mint; J = Hamburg Mint

Issuing volume: 30.000.000

Miracle - Irish EMU

Issuance year - 2009, January

I do not have an image (not any more), because my camera broke and it's still in the store to be repaired. Anyway, now I'm only missing the finnish EMU coin. Finding this wonderful coin was a true "miracle", yet I almost sent it to another collector by mistake.

In January 2009, the sixteen euro-area countries jointly issued a commemorative euro coin to celebrate ten years of Economic and Monetary Union and the launch of the euro.

Issuing volume: 5.000.000

Spanish triumvirate...

Issuance year - 2010, March

For our second swap, Miguel C. from Madrid, Spain, sent me all the coins depicted in the image, including these 3 magnificent 2010 UNC Spanish "Cordoba" commemorative coins, in exchange of several portuguese commemorative ones.

This beautiful coin commemorates the historic centre of Cordoba, the first Spanish site to be included in the UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1984. It portrays the “forest of pillars” of the Great Mosque of Córdoba, one of the most significant and oldest examples of Islamic art in Europe. Built between the 8th and 10th centuries, the Mosque was later consecrated as a Christian cathedral and underwent a series of transformations.

The coin is the first in a new series dedicated to the Spanish sites on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List. One of those commemorative coins will be issued every year as from 2010.

Issuing volume: 8.000.000

One more EMU coin...

Issued year - 2009, January
Not one very good photo for the German coin depicted in the image, that becomes the 3th German EMU coin in my collection, this one with mintmark "D" - Munich. Now only two more mintmarks are still missing, A and J.

The new 2 euro coin, issued in 2009, January, celebrates ten years of economic and monetary union (EMU). EU citizens and residents have selected the design by an on-line vote. The design, which symbolizes the euro as the latest step in the long history of European economic integration, was created by Mr G. Stamatopoulos, sculptor at the Minting Department of the Greek Central Bank. The centre of the coin shows a stylised human figure whose left arm is prolonged by the euro symbol.

A = Berlin Mint; D = Munich Mint; F = Stuttgart Mint;

G = Karslruhe Mint; J = Hamburg Mint

Issuing volume: 30.000.000

Good "stuff"

Issuance year - 2009, January

Another swap with George from Greece. Very good stuff...like the splendid UNC Cypriot EMU, but also the Greeke 2007 2 € Rome Treaty, and almost all the 2009 currency UNC Greek coins and several missing coins (all depicted in the image). Right now, only the Irish and the Finnish EMU ones are missing. Thanks again.

In 2008 the two newest Euro members, Cyprus and Malta, released their first official Euro coins into circulation.

Issuing volume: 1 000 000

Another "Louis Braille"

Issuance year - 2009, September/October

Depicted in the image, one more coin sent by Bernard from Netherlands. This fabulous Italian coin celebrates the 200th anniversary of Louis Braille’s birth. The coin depicts a hand reading an open book by touch. The index finger points at a vertical inscription ‘LOUIS BRAILLE 1809-2009’ and two birds in flight above the hand symbolise freedom of knowledge. Braille’s name is written under the book in the alphabet that he invented. Last year, Belgium has also issued one commemorative coin celebrating Louis Braille. Thanks.

See last Post

Issuing volume: 2.500.000

Cheaper by the dozen...

Issuance year - 2009, October

Another swap with Bernard from Netherlands. This time he sent me 12 coins - this magnificent 2009 "200th anniversary of Finnish autonomy and Porvoo Diet" one, along with 2 more commemorative coins - the Slovak "Freedom and Democracy" and the Italian "Louis Braille", and some currency coins (all depicted in the image), in exchange for several Portuguese ones. Thanks.

The first Diet of Finland met in 1809 in Porvoo, so the coin shows a profile of Porvoo cathedral, where the opening ceremony took place, and ‘1809’ written in stylised numbering above.

See next post

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Issuing volume: 1.600.000

"Facebook" Italian EMU coin

Issuance year - 2009, January

Due to one Facebook italian contact, Valerio Estel, I received the Italian EMU depicted in the image, in exchange for a Portuguese commemorative coin. Now, as I'm waiting for the Cypriot EMU, only the Irish and Finnish ones are missing.

For the second time in its short story, all eurozone member states have issued a €2 coin with a common design also on the national side. In 2007, the issue celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, while this new fabulous €2 coin celebrates ten years of economic and monetary union (EMU).

annnnnnnnnnnnnn a Issuing volume: 2.500.000

Morabitino

Issued year - 2009, September

Once in a while, not as often as I wish, Alexandra Vieira, a work mate, gives me precious coins, as this time. This coin recreates the gold Morabitino struck in Braga or in Lisbon in the reign of D. Sancho II (1223-1248), only one copy known to exist, belonging to the Portuguese Numismatic Museum, today considered to be one of the most important numismatic treasures.
The «Morabitino de D. Sancho II», with a face value of 1.50 euro, is the first of five coins to be issued by the Portuguese Mint and Official Printing Office, that initiates, in 2009, the minting of a series of collection coins called «Tesouros Numismáticos Portugueses» (Portuguese Numismatic Treasures) recreating five of the most beautiful and rare examples of Portuguese coins. Being a modern coin, its design is very close to the original it commemorates. It shows in its obverse the legend of the «República Portuguesa», the face value, the era and national shield represented in order to form a set with the composition shown in reverse where the image of the face «Morabitino» is recreated with the image of the King on horseback surrounded by the legend «REGIS PORTVGALENSVM».

Only one available to swap

Issuing volume: 100.000

Olé...spanish EMU

Issuance year - 2009, January

24, not the famous TV serie but the number of coins that George from Greece sent me for our last swap. The missing Spanish EMU coin (depicted in the image), the Greek EMU one and several currency missing coins, in exchange for several currency and also commemorative portuguese coins. Now, only Irish, Finnish and the Cypriot EMU coins, are missing.

EU citizens and residents have selected this winning design celebrating 10 years of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and the creation of the euro.

Issuing volume of the Spanish EMU coin: 8.000.000

German EMU from Netherlands

Issued year - 2009, January
Finally the post about the 5th commemorative sent by Bernard, from Netherlands. The German coin depicted in the image becomes the 2nd German EMU coin in my collection, this one with mintmark "F" - Karslruhe. Three more mintmarks are still missing, A, D and J.

The new 2 euro coin, issued last January, celebrates ten years of economic and monetary union (EMU). EU citizens and residents have selected the design by an on-line vote. The design, which symbolizes the euro as the latest step in the long history of European economic integration, was created by Mr G. Stamatopoulos, sculptor at the Minting Department of the Greek Central Bank. The centre of the coin shows a stylised human figure whose left arm is prolonged by the euro symbol.

See last 3 posts
A = Berlin Mint

D = Munich Mint

F = Stuttgart Mint

G = Karslruhe Mint

J = Hamburg Mint

Issuing volume: 30.000.000

New year - Saarland State

1
1

Issued year - 2009, February

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaSaarland State - Bundesländer

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One more magnificent coin sent by Bernard, from Netherlands, in our last swap, still in 2009. Now, with this coin with mintmark "J"-Hamburg, the 2009 German Bunsdesland series coins (4th of 16) is completed (5 coins with five different mintmarks).

Germany started the commemorative coin series "Die 16 Bundesländer der Bundesrepublik Deutschland" (The 16 States of the Federal Republic of Germany) in 2006. One coin representing a German state will be issued per year between 2006 and 2021 and will coincide with that state's presidency of the 'Bundesrat'.

See last posts and the next one...

Issuing volume of this 2009 Saarland bundesland series: 30.000.000