| Mint marks and more
I have done some research to double-check where which Euro coins were struck and if they have mint marks or not.
In total there are 15 countries which have introduced the Euro as their national currency.
1) Belgium
The Euro coins from Belgium do not have a mint mark. They were struck by the Monnaie Royale de Belgique in Brussels.
2) Germany
The Euro coins from Germany have the following mint marks on the reverse side which identify the place they were struck:
A = Staatliche Münze, Berlin (20% of total)
D = Bayerisches Hauptmünzamt, Munich (21% of total)
F = Staatliche Münze Baden-Württemberg, Stuttgart (24% of total)
G= Staatliche Münze Baden-Württemberg, Karlsruhe (14% 0f total)
J = Landesbetrieb Hamburgische Münze, Hamburg (21% of total)
3) Finland
No mint marks, minted at Rahapaya OY, Myntverket i Finland AB, Vantaa / Vanda
4) France
The normal coins are minted at Établissement Monétaire, Pessac. The commemorative coins are minted at Monnaie de Paris, Paris. All of these coins have a cornucopia (horn of plenty) as a mint mark.
Some of the commemorative coins also have a mark which identifies these as coins minted during the first year of the Euro. This mark consists of the Greek letter alpha and the year 2002.
Other signs on the coins identify the chief engraver. The sign that looks like a heart made of the letters “S” and “L” is for Serge Levet. The horseshoe is for Gérard Buquoy and the bee is for Pierre Rodier.
5) Greece
As I already mentioned Greece had some of its Euro coins made in other countries as their capacity was not sufficient. These coins are from 2002 only and have mint marks as follows:
F = France (Monnaie de Paris / Établissement Monétaire, Pessac) (1 Cent, 2 Cent, 5 Cent, 10 Cent, 50 Cent 2002 only)
E = Espana / Spain (Real Casa de la Moneda / Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre, Madrid) (20 Cent 2002 only)
S = Suomi Finland (Rahapaya OY, Myntverket i Finland AB, Vantaa / Vanda) (1 and 2 Euro coins 2002 only)
These signs appear embossed in the star that is closest to the year.
The coins minted in Greece have a minted mark which looks somewhat like a plant with 7 leaves. These were minted at the National Mint, Halandri, Anthemion.
6) Ireland
No mint marks.
Minted at
- Banc Ceannais na hÉireann / Central Bank of Ireland, Currency Production Department, Sandyford
- British Royal Mint, Llantrisant
7) Italy
Mint mark is the letter R for Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, Roma (Rome).
8) Luxembourg
Minted at Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt N.V., Utrecht, Holland. Mint mark is a symbol which looks like a letter “Y”. As far as I have been able to ascertain, this symbol is only on the cent coins (not on the 1 and 2 Euro coins).
Some of the commemorative coins were minted in Stuttgart, Germany (no mint mark).
Other symbols on the cent coins are for the coin directors in Utrecht. A bow and arrow with a little star for the vacancy under Erik J. Schouwenburg and the sail from the ship “Nederland” for Maarten T. Brouwer (starting with coins from the year 2003).
9) Monaco
Minted in France (Monnaie de Paris / Établissement Monétaire, Pessac --> cornucopia)
As in France, other signs on the coins identify the chief engraver. The sign that looks like a heart made of the letters “S” and “L” is for Serge Levet. The horseshoe is for Gérard Buquoy.
10) The Netherlands / Holland
The coins were minted at:
- Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt N.V., Utrecht (mint mark is a symbol which looks like a letter “Y”)
- British Royal Mint, Llantrisant (no mint mark)
- The Birmingham Mint Limited, Hockley (no mint mark)
Other symbols on the coin identify the coin director in Utrecht:
Bow and arrow: Chris van Draanen (1988-1999)
Bow and arrow plus star: Vacancy under Erik J. Schouwenburg (2000)
Wine leaf and grape: Robert Bruens (2001)
Wine leaf and grape plus star: Vacancy under Maarten T. Brouwer (2001-2002)
Sail from the ship “Nederland”: Maarten T. Brouwer (since 2002)
11) Austria
No mint marks, Minted at Münze Österreich (Austria) AG, Wien (Vienna)
12) Portugal
No mint marks. Minted at INCM (Imprensa Nacional e Casa de Moeda E.P., Lisboa / Lissabon).
13) San Marino
Mint mark is the letter R for Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, Roma (Rome).
14) Spain
Mint mark is the letter M with a crown. Minted at Real Casa de la Moneda / Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre, Madrid.
15) Vatican City
Mint mark is the letter R for Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, Roma (Rome).
Commemorative coins have been issued in most of the member countries. These coins are usually in silver or gold. Some of the commemorative coins from Austria have a niobium core.
These coins (with the exception of the 2 Euro commemorative coins – see further below) are legal tender ONLY in the country in which they were issued.
These commemorative coins can have very unusual face values, e.g.:
8 Euro (for instance silver commemorative coins in Portugal)
1 1/2 Euro (for instance some of the silver commemorative coins in France)
12 Euro (for instance some of the silver commemorative coins in Spain)
On the 30th of September 2003 the European Commission decided that member countries may issue ONE 2 Euro commemorative coin per year which is legal tender in all member countries. These have the same face value side as the normal 2 Euro coins but a different reverse. In some cases these commemorative coins have replaced the normal 2 Euro coin in the respective country in that year (e.g. Austria has announced that in 2005 it will only issue the 2 Euro commemorative coin and none of the normal 2 Euro coin).
So far the following 2 Euro Commemorative coins have been issued:
2004:
Greece – Olympic Games, Athens 2004 (disc thrower)
Finland – 10 new member states in the European Union
San Marino – Bartolomeo Borghesi
Vatican City – 75th Anniversary of Vatican City
Luxembourg – Grand Duke Henri
Italy – World Food Programme
2005:
Luxemburg - Grand Dukes of Luxembourg Adolphe and Henri
The following countries have also announced that they will each issue a 2 Euro commemorative coin this year:
Spain
Austria
Belgium
The Vatican also had a coin planned for this year.
I hope that I got it all right (no guarantee!) and that this helps anyone interested.
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