Collector and commemorative coins

Collector coins are minted from precious metals with the aim of celebrating very important persons and events. Collector coins are not intended for circulation and they are legal tender only in the country that has issued them. As a rule, the selling price of collector coins minted from precious metal exceeds the nominal value.

Users must be able to easily distinguish between collector coins and circulation coins. Collector coins must comply with the established requirements.

• The nominal value of collector coins must differ from the nominal value of circulation coins.
• The design of collector coins must not resemble the common side of euro circulation coins. Where the design resembles the national side of a euro circulation coin, users must be able to easily distinguish between the collector coin and the circulation coin.
• The colour, diameter and weight of collector must significantly differ from circulation coins by at least two or three features.
• The edge of collector coins must not be milled, or come in the Spanish flower shape.

€2 commemorative coins are special circulation coins with a special design on the national side in commemoration of a particular national or European event or topic. The €2 coin is the most suitable for the purpose, owing to its diameter and certain technical properties, which provide sufficient protection against forging. Other characteristics and features, as well as the common side of commemorative coins are similar to standard €2 circulation coins. Each euro-area country can issue a €2 commemorative coin twice a year, except where the euro area countries choose to issue a joint commemorative coin. A member states must submit the design of the planned commemorative coin to other member states and get the approval of the European Commission, Council of the European Union and the euro zone. The designs of officially approved commemorative coins are published in the Official Journal of the European Union.