€2 commemorative coins - 2008
Vatican City
Feature: The Year of St. Paul – the 2000th anniversary of his birth
Description: The coin depicts the conversion of Paul on the road to Damascus, which is visible in the background. Dazzled by a light from the sky, he falls from his rearing horse. To the left of the image is an inscription denoting the issuing country ‘CITTÀ DEL VATICANO’, and to the right the legend ‘ANNO SANCTO PAULO DICATO’, as well as the year ‘2008’, the mint mark ‘R’ and the artist’s name ‘VEROI’. The initials of the engraver ‘L.D.S. INC.’, Luciana De Simoni, appear beneath the image. The outer ring of the coin shows the 12 stars of the European Union.
Issuing volume: 100,000 coins
Issuing date: October 2008
Finland
Feature: 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Description: Designed by sculptor Tapio Kettunen, the coin depicts a human being inside a heart and, underneath it, the inscription ‘HUMAN RIGHTS’. ‘FI’ for Finland, ‘K’ for the sculptor as well as the mint mark appear at the bottom of the inner part of the coin, and the year of issue, 2008, at the top. The 12 stars of the European Union are shown on the outer ring.
Issuing volume: 1.5 million coins
Issuing date: October 2008
Portugal
Feature: 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Description: The coin shows the Portuguese coat of arms at the top, with the name of the issuing country (‘PORTUGAL’) and the year ‘2008’ just below. The lower half of the coin features a geometric design and the legend ‘60 ANOS DA DECLARAÇÃO UNIVERSAL DOS DIREITOS HUMANOS’, followed by the inscription ‘Esc. J. Duarte INCM’ in very small characters. The outer ring of the coin shows the 12 stars of the European Union.
Issuing volume: 1 million coins
Issuing date: September 2008
France
Feature: French Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2008
Description: The coin is inscribed as follows: ‘2008 PRÉSIDENCE FRANÇAISE UNION EUROPÉENNE RF’. The mint mark and the mintmaster's mark are located below, to the left and the right respectively. The 12 stars of the European Union are shown on the outer ring.
Issuing volume: 20 million coins
Issuing date: July 2008
Slovenia
Feature: 500th anniversary of Primož Trubar's birth
Description: The coin shows an effigy of Primož Trubar in profile. The inscriptions ‘PRIMOŽ TRUBAR’ and ‘1508 • 1586’ appear on the left, and ‘SLOVENIJA 2008’ at bottom right. The 12 stars of the European Union are depicted on the outer ring.
Issuing volume: 1 million coins
Issuing date: May 2008
Belgium
Feature: 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Description: The coin shows curved lines around a rectangle marked with the figure 60. The year ‘2008’ is inscribed above the rectangle and the words ‘UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS’ underneath it. The name of the country appears below the design in its three official languages: ‘BELGIE – BELGIQUE – BELGIEN’. The mintmark and the signature mark of the Master of the Mint are shown to the left and right of the design respectively. The outer ring of the coin features the 12 stars of the European Union.
Issuing volume: 5 million coins
Issuing date: May 2008
San Marino
Feature: European Year of Intercultural Dialogue
Description: The coin shows five human silhouettes symbolising the cultures of the five regions in Europe, together with the sacred texts of the different communities. The inscription ‘ANNO EUROPEO DEL DIALOGO INTERCULTURALE’ appears below the motif, while ‘SAN MARINO’, and the year of issue ‘2008’ appear above it. The initials of the artist ‘E.L.F.’, Ettore Lorenzo Frapiccini, are shown to the right of the motif, and the mint mark ‘R’ to the left. The coin’s outer ring contains the 12 stars of the European Union.
Issuing volume: 130,000 coins
Issuing date: April 2008
Italy
Feature: 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Description: The coin depicts a man and a woman with an olive branch, an ear of corn, a cogwheel and some barbed wire – symbols of the right to peace, food, work and freedom respectively. The monogram of the Italian Republic ‘RI’ is placed between the two figures, as is the year of issue ‘2008’. At the bottom of the image are the links of a chain forming the number ‘60’ and the inscription ‘DIRITTI UMANI’ (human rights). The initials ‘MCC’ of the artist Maria Carmela Colaneri and the mint mark ‘R’ are shown on the right. The outer ring of the coin depicts the 12 stars of the European Union.
Issuing volume: 5 million coins
Issuing date: April 2008
Luxembourg
Feature: Grand-Duke Henri and the ‘Château de Berg’
Description: The coin shows Grand-Duke Henri and the ‘Château de Berg’, the official residence. The year of issue, 2008, flanked by the mint mark and the mark of the engraving workshop, is inscribed at the top. The word ‘LËTZEBUERG’ appears at the bottom of the design. The outer ring of the coin depicts the 12 stars of the European Union.
Issuing volume: 1.3 million coins
Issuing date: February 2008
Germany
Feature: Federal state of Hamburg
Description: The coin depicts the baroque church of St. Michaelis, or “Michel” as it is popularly known. It is a symbol of the city and federal state of Hamburg, as the inscription below the image indicates. The year of issue, 2008, the 12 stars of the European Union and the words ‘BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND’ appear on the outer ring. The mintmark is shown in the upper right part of the coin.
Issuing volume: 30 million coins
Issuing date: February 2008