Surprise in my pocket change

Discussion in 'World Coins' started by Lawtoad, Sep 7, 2011.

  1. Lawtoad

    Lawtoad Well-Known Member

    Got this back in change yesterday at Walgreens. It is a 2004 2 Cent Euro coin from France (how it made its way to Oregon is a good story I'm sure). I did not notice it at first glance as it is the same size and color of the US cent, but always check my change when I get home and voila (had to throw a French word in) there it was. I'm used to getting Canadian coins and Mexican coins in change, but this is the first European coin in an extremely long time. My question is why did the EU decide to mint the coins with a continuous groove on the edge? That is actually what caught my eye initially. Certainly a pleasant surprise from the occasional wheat cent I get.

    Gene
     

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  3. jcakcoin

    jcakcoin New Member

    Wow! I have seen Canadian coins in my change, but not Euros. Nice Find
     
  4. thecoinlover

    thecoinlover Active Member

    Awesome! :thumb:
     
  5. mike70wu

    mike70wu New Member

    Nice! I found I believe it was a 5 pence coin in not long ago but I lost it. I live on the Canadian border so Canadian change is almost as common as American.
     
  6. Lawtoad

    Lawtoad Well-Known Member

    This one actually got my heart started because of the grooved edge (thinking possible mint error of course), then I saw the mask on the obverse and thought I had gotten a game token, the 2 Cent Euro on the back was of course the dead giveaway. Had to look up the Euro coin designs as they do not have the country of origin inscribed on the coins. Nice little addition (and inexpensive to boot) to my meager world coin collection.
     
  7. swish513

    swish513 Penny & Cent Collector

    nice find! it makes you wish coins could talk, doesn't it? i received one from italy a couple of years back. still haven't seen another one since.
     
  8. Merc Crazy

    Merc Crazy Bumbling numismatic fool

    I find those all the time in coin counter reject trays. Must have 30 or 40 bucks worth of Euro change by now.
     
  9. scottishmoney

    scottishmoney Buh bye

    I find the Euro 2 cents from time to time in roll searches, even though they are plated steel. I find mostly France and Germany, but did find one Italy one time. Of course I don't mind finding a coin worth nearly 3c that I paid 1c for.
     
  10. Lawtoad

    Lawtoad Well-Known Member

    I know, with the exchange rate I felt rich! LOL
     
  11. coinhead63

    coinhead63 Not slabbed yet

    When I lived in the Miami, FL area I used to get coins from carribean countries in change quite frequently. I too received a 2 euro cent in change once. It was from Germany. Pretty cool if you like foreign coins.
     
  12. green18

    green18 Unknown member Sweet on Commemorative Coins

    Nice surprise......:)

    More than I can find in my pants lately. LOL
     
  13. andyscouse

    andyscouse Collector of Brit stuff

    Nice find! Yours is a 2c coin from France. Each country has its own set of reverses; for this coin, it's the personification of France (similar to Lady Liberty), with the monogram "RF" (Republique Française").

    The grooved edge is to aid the blind, to distinguish it from the other 'bronze' coins 1c and 5c. In a similar way, the 'Nordic gold' 10c and 50c coins have a reeded edge, but the 20c has a scalloped edge.

    Hope that helps!
     
  14. Inquisitive

    Inquisitive Starting 2 know something

    I traded mine with someone who does business in Europe for some silver. IIRC, it was about 40 Euro.
     
  15. Cucumbor

    Cucumbor Well-Known Member

    I find them everyday in my change :D
    More rarely lincoln cents though...

    Q
     
  16. Lawtoad

    Lawtoad Well-Known Member

    The French Euro 2 Cent is really a very good looking coin. Simple in its design and artistic. I'll bet you find them in your change every day. I imagine it makes it easier for you to give someone your two cents. LOL.
     
  17. 10gary22

    10gary22 Junior Member

    Cool !
    I do my roll searching based in Las Vegas and I find a lot of things like that. I have the 2c Euros from France & Spain, Bermuda 1c, Panamanian Balboas, etc. It's one of the things that makes roll searching such fun.

    gary
     
  18. Lawtoad

    Lawtoad Well-Known Member

    Thank you, it does help. I figured there was a purpose to the grooved edge. It makes sense to have the edge grooved so that vision impaired people can feel the difference in the coin.
     
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