2011 - GREAT

Issued year - 2011, January

2Oth Anniversary of the Foundation of the Visegrad Group

One more coin sent by Noora, from Finland, as the result of our last coin swap. This original 2011 Slovakia coin design shows the map of the member states Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, the logo of the Visegrad Group, the inscriptions "Vysehradská Skupina" and "Visegrad Group" as well as the date of the founding "15-02-1991".

The Visegrad Group, also called the Visegrad Four or V4, is an alliance of these 4 central European States, for the purposes of cooperation and furthering their Europe integration.

Issuing volume: 981.000

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Finnish collector, finnish fabulous coins...

Issued year - 2010, October

"Currency Decree of 1860 granting Finland the right to issue banknotes and coins"

Due to our last swap, Noora, from Finland, also sent me these two fabulous and rare Finnish coins. The original design of the coin shows a stylised lion figure from the coat of arms of Finland on the left side and a set of numbers on the right side. Thanks, Noora.

Issuing volume: 1.600.000
See last and the next post

17th member - Estonia

One new collector, Noora from Finland, sent me all the depicted coins in the image, in exchange for a trade. Among others she sent me this magnificent and new 2 € 2011 Estonian currency coin. My first coin of the 17th country of the Euro zone.

Thanks Noora.
The Baltic state of Estonia has become the 17th member of the eurozone, since 1 January 2011. It is the first former Soviet republic to join the single currency club. This beautiful coin features a silhouette map of Estonia together with the word Eesti (Estonia) and twelve stars, symbolic of the European Union, surrounding the map.

See next posts.

Alleluia, alleluia!

Issued year - 2009, January

Finally the last missing EMU coin. This finnish EMU (economic and monetary union) coin and the other depicted in the image were sent by George from Greece, in our last swap at the end of 2010.

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.

See the last post

Issuing volume: 1.400.000

Finish coins....

Issued year - 2005, October

60th anniversary of the United Nations and 50th anniversary of Finland's membership of the UN

These 2 finnish commemorative coins depicted in the image were sent by George from Greece, in our last swap in 2010.

In the centre of this original coin are parts of a jigsaw puzzle showing a dove of peace.

See the next post.

Issuing volume: 2.000.000

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.

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Issuing volume: 2.500.000