The Europa Coin Programme, also known as the European Silver Programme,
or the Eurostar Programme,
is an initiative dedicated to the issuance of collector-oriented
legal tender
Legal tender is a form of money that Standard of deferred payment, courts of law are required to recognize as satisfactory payment in court for any monetary debt. Each jurisdiction determines what is legal tender, but essentially it is anything ...
coins
A coin is a small object, usually round and flat, used primarily as a medium of exchange or legal tender. They are standardized in weight, and produced in large quantities at a mint in order to facilitate trade. They are most often issued by ...
in
precious metals
Precious metals are rare, naturally occurring metallic chemical elements of high economic value. Precious metals, particularly the noble metals, are more corrosion resistant and less chemically reactive than most elements. They are usual ...
to celebrate
European identity
Pan-European identity is the sense of personal identification with Europe, in a cultural or political sense. The concept is discussed in the context of European integration, historically in connection with hypothetical proposals, but since th ...
. The issuing authorities of
EU member countries voluntarily contribute coins to the Europa Coin Programme. Multiple countries have participated in the programme, beginning in 2004. Some coins are denominated in
euro
The euro (currency symbol, symbol: euro sign, €; ISO 4217, currency code: EUR) is the official currency of 20 of the Member state of the European Union, member states of the European Union. This group of states is officially known as the ...
, others are denominated in other currencies. Europa coins are legal tender.
Eurostar logo
The Eurostar
logo
A logo (abbreviation of logotype; ) is a graphic mark, emblem, or symbol used to aid and promote public identification and recognition. It may be of an abstract or figurative design or include the text of the name that it represents, as in ...
is the special mark used on coins to indicate participation in the Europa Coin Programme.
It is a stylised combination of an "E" for
Europe
Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
(or the
euro sign
The euro sign () is the currency sign used for the euro, the official currency of the eurozone. The design was presented to the public by the European Commission on 12 December 1996. It consists of a stylized letter E (or epsilon), crossed by ...
), and a star (often used to symbolize a nation, e.g. on the
EU flag
The flag of Europe or European flag consists of twelve golden stars forming a circle on a blue field. It was designed and adopted in 1955 by the Council of Europe (CoE) as a symbol for the whole of Europe.
Since 1985, the flag has also been ...
). Coins must show the Eurostar distinctly and visibly to the naked eye, but not be integral to the coin's design.
Coin features
*Coins must be at least 900 fine silver and of proof quality.
*Coins should be approximately
"crown sized" -this allows for national traditions and customs.
*Coins must show the Eurostar logo (pictured above) distinctly, and visible to the naked eye, but not be integral to the coin's design.
History
*2004 – EU enlargement
*2005 – Peace & freedom
*2006 – Distinguished European figures
*2007 – European Realisation
*2008 – Cultural heritage
*2009 – European Heritage
*2010 – European Architecture
*2011 – European Explorers
*2012 – European Visual Artists
*2013 – European Writers
*2014 – European Composers
*2015 – Anniversary of the UN
*2016 – Five Ages of Europe : Modern Age
*2017 – Five Ages of Europe : Age of Glass and Steel
*2018 – Five Ages of Europe : Baroque and Rococo
References
External links
Euro Coins Collection MaltaNational mints in the EUGoldankauf Bayern(in German)
{{Euro topics
Coins of the Eurozone
Euro commemorative coins