Luxembourg Royal Highness

Issued year - 2012, January
The Grand-Duke Henri and the Grand-Duke Guillaume IV from the series "grand-ducal dynasty".

Depicted in the image's foreground is another commemorative coin, sent by Jose, from Spain, last year, in exchange for several portuguese commemorative coins.
The coin depicts, on the left of its inner part the effigy of His Royal Highness, the Grand-Duke Henri, looking to the right, and superimposed of the effigy of the Grand-Duke Guillaume IV, looking to the right. The text "GRANDS-DUCS DE LUXEMBOURG" and the year-date "2012", flanked by the mintmark and the initials of the Mintmaster, appear above of effigies on the inner part of the coin. In front of the effigies, the outline of the city Luxembourg appears as background. The names "HENRI" and "GUILLAUME IV" as well as the text "† 1912" are depicted below their respective effigies. 

See last two posts

Issuing volume: 1.400.000

Abbé Pierre

Issuance year - 2012, July

The 100th anniversary of the birth of the Abbé Pierre, famous in France as protector of the Poor

One more UNC commemorative coin sent by Jose, from Murcia, Spain, last year, in exchange for several portuguese commemorative coins.
This beautiful french coin depicts a portrait of the Abbé Pierre, with its béret, and the logo of its foundation, with a microtext mentioning `Et les autres?´ which was its favorite motto to recall that one should never forget to help the others. The letters `RF´ do appear for `Republique française´ together with the horn of plenty, mintmark of Monnaie de Paris on the left side, and the `fleurette´, hallmark of the engraving workshop on the right side. The coin´s outer ring depicts the 12 stars of the European flag.

See last and next posts...

Issuing volume: 1.000.000

Spanish twins

Ten Years of Euro Banknotes and Coins - TYE

In our last swap, in 2012, Jose, from Murcia, Spain, sent me 7 UNC commemorative coins and also the currency 2010 1 € S.Marino coin, all depicted in the image, in exchange for several portuguese commemorative coins. In the foreground are two Spanish 2012 TYE coins. The inner part of the coin, designed by Helmut Andexlinger of the Austrian Mint and chosen by citizens and residents of the euro area to be the common commemorative coin for 2012, features the world in the form of a euro symbol in the centre, showing how the euro has become a true global player over the last ten years. The surrounding elements symbolise the importance of the euro to ordinary people (represented by a family group), to the financial world (the Eurotower), to trade (a ship), to industry (a factory), and to the energy sector and research and development (two wind turbines).This is the third time the euro-area members have decided to collectively issue a commemorative coin. The first was in 2007, when the finance ministers of the then thirteen countries agreed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome with a single commemorative coin and the second time was in 2009 when sixteen countries celebrated 10 years of the EMU.

See next posts.

Issuing volume: 8.000.000

TYE Coins Quartet

                  Ten Years of Euro Banknotes and Coins - TYE

More  4 TYE 2012 commemorative coins - from Germany, Malta, Cyprus and Luxembourg.

Citizens and residents of the euro area have selected the winning design for this new euro coin issued by all euro area countries to commemorate ten years of euro banknotes and coins in January 2012. Using web-voting, they had five designs to choose from. Those designs had been pre-selected by a professional jury at the close of a design competition that was open to citizens from all euro area countries.

The winning design symbolises the way in which the euro has become a true global player over the past ten years, as well as its importance in day-to-day life, with various aspects being depicted: ordinary people (the family of four), trade (the ship), industry (the factory) and energy (the wind power stations).

The design was created by Helmut Andexlinger, a professional designer at the Austrian Mint.

Issuing volume: 

Cyprus TYE - 1.000.000 

  Germany TYE - 30.000.000 (5 different mintmarks - A, D, F, G and J - 6 million for each)

   Malta TYE - 700.000 

    Luxembourg TYE - 1.400.000.
See last post

4 TYE coins & co.

                                                Issuance year - 2012, May

The 75th anniversary of the Queen Elisabeth Competition

In a swap with Jose, from Murcia, Spain, last July, he sent me these 4 TYE 2012 commemorative coins (from Germany, Malta, Cyprus and luxembourg), and also the original Belgium 2012 "The 75th anniversary of the Queen Elisabeth Competition", in exchange for 5 portuguese coins.

The inner part of the coin 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 and the mark of the Brussels 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. 

Issuing volume: 5.000.000

See next post

Repubblica Italiana TYE

Issuance year - 2012, January

Ten Years of Euro Banknotes and Coins - TYE 

In the foreground the third coin sent by Jose, from Murcia, Spain. The missing Italian TYE coin, together with 2 more UNC in exchange for 3 commemorative portuguese UNC coins. 
Joint issue for all EURO countries in 2012: On 1 January 2002, euro banknotes and coins were introduced in 12 Member States of the European Union. The introduction of the euro cash was an unprecedented challenge, but it went smoothly, and billions of banknotes and coins started to circulate in a matter of days. Five more Member States adopted the euro in later years, so a total of 17 Member States – and 332 million people – use the currency as of 2011. 

See last 2 posts

aa Issuing volume: 15.000.000

Luxembourg royal couple!

Issued year - 2009, January
Grand-Duke Henri and Grand-Duchess Charlotte

Here it is. Depicted in the image's foreground is the second commemorative coin that Jose, from Murcia, Spain, sent me (see last post), in exchange for 3 portuguese commemorative coins (Guimarães - European Capital of culture 2012). The coin depicts, on the left-hand side of its inner part, the effigy of His Royal Highness, the Grand-Duke Henri superimposed on the effigy of the Grand-Duchess Charlotte, both looking to the left. 

Once again, thanks...

Issuing volume: 1.400.000

Italian Count of Cavour

Issuance year - 2010, March

200th anniversary of the Count of Cavour’s birth

3 more coins as a result of another swap with Jose, from Múrcia, Spain. Out of the 3 coins that he sent me last April,all depicted in the image, in the foreground the beautiful Italian commemorative coin.

The coin commemorates the 200th anniversary of the birth of Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour (1810-1861), a key figure in Italian unification and early Italian liberalism, and the founder of the political newspaper "Il Risorgimento". It features a portrait of Cavour based on a painting by Francesco Hayez from 1864. 

See next post

aa Issuing volume: 4.000.000

TYE - Half a dozen

Ten Years of Euro Banknotes and Coins - TYE

6 more TYE UNC coins, all depicted in the image, (from Finland, Austria, Irland, Slovénia, Belgium and Germany -J), also sent by Jose, from Murcia, Spain. 

The Euro-sign in the centre of the coin shows that the Euro has become an element of particular importance in Europe as well all over the world as the Euro evolved to a global player in the international monetary system in the last 10 years.  

The design elements around the Euro- symbol on the coin express the importance of the Euro to the people, to the financial world (ECB tower), to trading (ships), to industry (factories), to the energy sector and research and development (wind power stations). 

Citizens and residents of the euro area have selected the winning design for this new euro coin issued by all euro area countries to commemorate ten years of euro banknotes and coins in January 2012.

The winning design symbolises the way in which the euro has become a true global player over the past ten years, as well as its importance in day-to-day life,

See last two posts

Guimarães 2012

Issued year - 2012, June

Guimarães - European Capital of Culture 2012

I bought them a few hours ago, along with hundreds of other people trying to do the same, at the Portugal Bank...

The newest portuguese commemorative coin depicts a stylised image of Afonso Henriques, the first King of Portugal, together with his sword and the Castle of Guimarães, which is regarded as the birthplace of Portugal as an independent nation in the 12th century. To the left of the image is the Portuguese shield above the word “PORTUGAL”. To the lower right is the inscription “GUIMARÃES 2012” with the logo of Guimarães 2012 European Capital of Culture. Along the lower edge of the inner part are the mintmark “INCM” and the name of the designer, “JOSÉ DE GUIMARÃES”. 

Issuing volume: 500.000

TYE - Ten Years of Euro banknotes and coins

Depicted in the image is the result of my first swap with Jose, from Murcia, Spain, last February. He sent me these magnificent TYE 2012 commemorative coins (from Estonia, Slovakia, Germany and Greece, and also the 2011 "The Special Olympics World Summer Games - Athens 2011" Greek coin , in exchange for several portuguese commemorative coins.

Citizens and residents of the euro area have selected the winning design for this new euro coin issued by all euro area countries to commemorate ten years of euro banknotes and coins in January 2012. Using web-voting, they had five designs to choose from. Those designs had been pre-selected by a professional jury at the close of a design competition that was open to citizens from all euro area countries.

The winning design symbolises the way in which the euro has become a true global player over the past ten years, as well as its importance in day-to-day life, with various aspects being depicted: ordinary people (the family of four), trade (the ship), industry (the factory) and energy (the wind power stations).

The design was created by Helmut Andexlinger, a professional designer at the Austrian Mint.

Issuing volume: 

Greece 2011 - 1.000.000 

Estonia TYE - 6.000.000 

Germany TYE - 30.000.000 (5 different mintmarks - A, D, F, G and J - 6 million for each)

Slovakia TYE - 1.000.000 

Greece TYE - 1.000.000.

Women´s International Day

Issued year - 2011, March

100th anniversary of International Women’s Day

The other commemorative coin sent by Xav, a French euro coin collector, in our last swap, in exchange for portuguese commemorative coins.

The inner part of the coin commemorating the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day, which is celebrated on 8 March, features effigies of Isala Van Diest, the first female Belgian medical doctor, and Marie Popelin, the first female Belgian lawyer above a semicircle formed by their names and the symbols of their professions on either side of the year 2011. 
Thanks.

See last post

Issuing volume: 5.000.000

Battle of Marathon...from Greece, obviously!

Issuance year - 2010, October 2.500th anniversary of the Battle of Marathon 

Xav, from France, sent me the Greek coin depicted in the image, along with the Belgium "100th anniversary of International Women's Day" coin, (see next post) and also some  missing currency coins, as a result of our last and only swap, happening last January.

The coin commemorates the 2.500th anniversary of the Battle of Marathon. The centre of the coin shows a synthesis of a shield and a runner/warrior representing the struggle for freedom and the noble ideals that the Battle of Marathon stands for. The bird on the shield symbolises the birth of Western civilisation in its present form.

Thanks, Xav.

Issuing volume: 2.500.000

Erasmus

Issuance year - 2011, January

The 500th anniversary of the publication of the world-famous book "Laus Stultitiae" by the Dutch philosopher, humanist and theologian Desiderus Erasmus

The last of the 5 commemorative coins that Miguel from Madrid, Spain, sent me in our last swap.
This is not a good image of this original coin that shows Erasmus writing his book on the right and the effigy of Queen Beatrix on the left. The two images are separated by the vertical inscription "Beatrix Koningin der Nederlanden".

Issuing volume: 4.000.000

Swan - Finland's national bird

Issued year - 2011, October

200th anniversary of the Bank of Finland

These 3 finnish UNC commemorative coins depicted in the image were sent by Noora from Finland, in exchange for 3 other commemorative coins, in our last in the begining of the year.

This original coin to mark the Bank of Finland’s 200th anniversary, which was designed by the artist Hannu Veijalainen, depicts Finland’s national bird, the swan.
In addition, the inner part of the coin bears the dates “2011”, the year of issue, and “1811”, the year in which Emperor Alexander I of Russia decreed that an “Exchange, Lending and Deposit Office” was to be established in Turku, Finland. It was Finland’s first bank and eventually became the Bank of Finland, which moved to Helsinki in 1819.

Issuing volume: 1.500.000