This year, Eesti Pank is supplementing the stock of circulation coins by 1- and 2-cent coins. The new coins are released today through banks and trading companies, depending on demand.

Eesti Pank has commissioned 25 million coins of each denomination worth a total of 750,000 euro. This will cover the next years’ demand for small-denomination euro coins in Estonia.

The design of the coins has not changed, the only thing different is the minting year: 2012.

The coins were minted by the Royal Dutch Mint, which won the adjudication between mints producing euro coins.

New uncirculated coins are sold at the Eesti Pank Museum and also at the e-store.

The central bank will not order any other circulation coins this year.

Eesti Pank also participates in the production of euro banknotes for the first time this year. The central bank is obliged to return to the Eurosystem the banknotes borrowed for the changeover to the euro. In addition, euro area countries have to produce banknotes each year. The amount is established by the ECB’s Governing Council. Eesti Pank and eight other euro area central banks acquire their shares of banknotes via a joint procurement. Eesti Pank’s responsibility is to produce 20-euro notes, which will be added to the Eurosystem’s common cash stock.

A photo of this year’s 1-cent coin is available here and of the 2-cent coin here .

The annual issue amounts of coins are approved by a decision of the ECB’s Governing Council.The 2012 issue amount of the Estonian euro coins is up to 12.7 million euro. Last year, it was 48.4 million euro (taking into account the needs of the changeover). 
The amounts of coins circulating in the euro area are available on the web page of the ECB .

The security features of euro coins can be found here and those of euro banknotes here.

For further information:
Ingrid Mitt 
Eesti Pank
Eurosystem
Public Relations Office
Telephone:+372 668 0965, +372 512 6843
E-mail:[email protected]