Silver Euro Commemoratives

I am a new member of this forum, having been evicted from the now defunct old Coin World forum, and was wondering how many of you actively collect silver Euro Commemoratives or the $2 circulating commemoratives being issued by various Euro nations? I have actively bought and traded since the Euros first release in 2002 and have enjoyed this new aspect of my collecting very much. Living in the U.S. has made it somewhat of a challenge but with help of European collectors I have a very nice collection going. Just curious as to how many others here are doing the same thing and wondering what countries you all are from?

 

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Crystalk,I have got one of the silver commemorative Euro coins.It is the 12 Euros from Spain dated 2002 that was struck to commemorate
Spain's presidency of the European Union.I like the conjoined portraits of the King & Queen of Spain,as it reminds me of the old 500 Pesetas.

 

I have that coin also! I find the different denominations issued by various countries quite interesting as I don't know if they are just trying to be different from everyone else or if there is a particular reason? Spain issues 12 Euro and France one and a half euro? Also seen one quarter Euro's come from France. Now Canada is issuing $8 coins for their Asian population? I guess I am accustommed to $1, $5 and $10 so everything else seems so unusual but none the less very interesting to collect.

 

I have a few, but it's hardly my area of expertise.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the Euro commemoratives are only legal tender (such as that is) in the country that issues them. In other words, a Finnish commemorative, for example, is not legal tender in France.

 

Hi Terry,

I'm from Jockland. The only euros i've bothered myself with are the Austrian bi-metallic silver /niobium 25 euro coins.

This will be the third year of issue. The first two years were completely sold out.

Niobium has rather novel properties in that when it is treated lectrochemically its colour can be altered. As such some rather startling colours can be obtained.

The first year (2003) was a silver outer ring with an inner ring of irridescent cobalt blue niobium. The coin iself commemorates Hall Mint and the centre is incused like a die. Quite a coin .

The second year (2004) commemorated Austrian railways and the niobium centre was an apple green colour.

This year (2005) the coin will have a purple centre (see link below).

http://home.wanadoo.nl/llinde/WMF2005-2.jpg

The silver 20 euros are very tempting......

Anyway, here's the first niobium coin in the series:-

 

....I hear ya bro', but I just don't live up to the accolade of `Inadvertent Inverter' on this occasion.

The coin is depicted exactly as the Austrian mint made it. That is, representing a coin die. It really is an unusual and exceptional coin (IMHO)

 

Hi Ian,

I have the second coin in the series! Still trying to find the first, at a price I can afford, and just emailed a European collector this morning seeking the new "purple" niobium release. Not sure when it will be issued but boy do I want that one! My wife is a purple fanatic so she will go bonkers when she sees it! Kind of hurts missing the first one but I have a lot of patience so we will see! Have been trading heavily with collectors in Europe as many of the silvers don't make it to U.S. dealers and only a few handle them. The Euro has been a challenge but trading has brought me quite a collection and a bunch of new friends over your way.

 

If you have a closer look at it, it is only the niobium centre (obverse) that is inverted. The outer (silver) rim is not inverted. ;-)

The idea behind the coin was to make it represent the first coin die created at Hall Mint. IMHO an excellent idea for a coin commemorating a mint. Making it truly the `mother' of all coins

 

I recall alerting people to the first issue and telling them that they should buy it for all the reasons i've already mentioned. Seems that those that listened that time struck it lucky. The Austrian mint was limiting direct purchases to one per person. I managed to obtain one from them and also one from a distirbutor. So I have two of the first . I also have two of the second, and hopefully will manage to get two of the third in due course (i've already placed my order). You should be aware that the thrid one has a limited mintage of 65,000 which is 15,000 more than the first two. Perhaps it might not be a complete sell out like the first two, but you never know.

Either way, i'm hooked on these niobium 25 euro coins.

If you're based in North America then here's where you can order up the 2005 one (if they haven't reached their limit yet that is)

http://www.eurocollections.com/catalog/?product=1365

I have found them to be decent folk, communicative and helpful (and I don't have any special deals going with them either, more's the pity!).

Oh, and by the way, the coin of the year for 2004 was a Latvian silver / Niobium bi-metallic. I don't have it even though I have been very very tempted indeed. I can't collect everything though on my limited budget (sigh) :-(.

 

Thanks for the information Ian!

 

Crystalk,the French 1/4 Euro & 1-1/2 Euro pieces are definitely medal-coins.

 

About all I have for silver euros is the Pope 5 euro from a couple years ago, and they just sent me the 5 and 10 euros from 2004. I had wanted proof set or the new 2 euro Vatican commem, but with the Pope coins you take what you get.

For what it is worth, the 2004 silver (10, I think) has a great image of the Pope – some real nice engraving going on over there in Rome.

 

Hey JBK it is about time we heard your opinion around here!!!

 

Thanks.

I was back inthe USA for a month over the holidays and I didn't have my CT passwprd, so I just stopped in once in a while as a voyeur.

 

The Pope of Rome's Euro coins.

JBK,can you please post some pictures of the Pope of Rome's silver Euro coins? I know that the Pope of Rome's Euro coins ( 1 Euro-Cent through to 2 Euros) is very difficult to find.Does anyone have the prices in Krause?

 

Prices for the Vatican coins (Pope) are off the wall so to speak. Krause shows the unc. 2002 coins around $100 each!!! I have a silver commemorative from 2002 that is very very beautiful but have no idea what it is worth now. In 2002 folks were paying over $350 on Ebay to get one. Prices have dropped, across the board, each year since the introduction of the Euro but they are STILL very challenging for the everyday collector. It is very hard to keep anything one might receive from the Vatican as there is someone out there willing to give you everything except the kitchen sink to acquire it!

 

Italy is going to be issuing a commemorative 2 Euro coin for the World Food Programme this year.

 

I am sure they are but do not have a release date at this time. Hopefully we will be able to get our hands on a couple!