€2 commemorative coins - 2006

Feature: 5th Centenary of the Swiss Pontifical Guard

Description: The coin features a Swiss guard taking an oath of loyalty to the Pope. The inscription ‘GUARDIA SVIZZERA PONTIFICIA’ forms a semi-circle around the guard, while under the flag appears the name of the issuing state, ‘CITTÀ DEL VATICANO’. ‘1506’ appears on the left side, above the signature of the engraver ‘O. ROSSI’ along the flagpole. ‘2006’ appears on the right side, above the mint mark ‘R’. The 12 stars of the European Union are depicted on the outer ring.

Issuing volume: 100,000 coins

Issuing date: November 2006

Feature: 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' death

Description: The coin shows Christopher Columbus and three caravels. The inscription ‘SAN MARINO’ appears above his portrait, and a wind rose and the mint mark ‘R’ to the right. The dates ‘1506 — 2006’ are shown on a scroll below his portrait. The coin’s outer ring bears the 12 stars of the European Union.

Issuing volume: 120,000 coins

Issuing date: October 2006

Feature: 100th anniversary of universal and equal suffrage

Description: The inner part of the coin shows male and female faces separated by a line. To their left is ‘1.10.1906’ and to their right is ‘20 FI 06’, the year of issue with the abbreviation for Finland, FI. The mint mark ‘M’ appears next to each of the two faces. The 12 stars of the European Union are depicted on the outer ring of the coin.

Issuing volume: 2.5 million coins

Issuing date: October 2006

Feature: Atomium

Description: An image of Atomium is shown in the centre of the coin and the engraver’s initials ‘LL’ to its right. Two mintmarks appear near its base. The outer ring of the coin features the 12 stars of the European Union, the letter ‘B’ and the year of mintage ‘2006’.

Issuing volume: 5 million coins

Issuing date: April 2006

Feature: Schleswig-Holstein

Description: The Holstentor, the gate symbolising of the town of Lübeck, is shown in the centre of the coin and below it the word ‘Schleswig-Holstein’, the first of Germany’s 16 federal states to be commemorated in a euro coin. The engraver’s initials ‘HH’ appear to the right of the image and the mintmark ‘A’, ‘D’, ‘F’, ‘G’ or ‘J’, depending on the mint, to the left. The year of mintage, 2006, the 12 stars of the European Union and the words ‘Bundesrepublik Deutschland’ are shown in the outer ring.

Issuing volume: 30 million coins

Issuing date: February 2006

Feature: XX Olympic Winter Games - Turin 2006

Description: An image of a skier, a dynamic, curvilinear figure, is in the centre of the coin. Above him are the words ‘GIOCHI INVERNALI’ and to his left the location of the Winter Games is marked by the word ‘TORINO’ and an image of Turin’s landmark Mole Antonelliana building. The monogram of the Italian Republic ‘RI’ and the mintmark ‘R’ are also to the skier’s left. The year of issue, 2006, and the initials of the designer ‘MCC’ (Maria Carmela Colaneri) are shown to his right. The coin’s outer ring bears the 12 stars of the European Union.

Issuing volume: 40 million coins

Issuing date: January 2006

Feature: 25th birthday of Grand-Duke Guillaume, heir to the throne

Description: The effigy of Grand-Duke Henri is superimposed on that of Grand-Duke Guillaume in the centre of the coin. The year of issue, 2006, appears below the effigies, flanked by the letter ‘S’ and the mintmark. The word ‘LËTZEBUERG’ appears above the effigies. The 12 stars of the European Union are shown in the outer ring of the coin.

Issuing volume: 1.1 million coins

Issuing date: January 2006