Designs of euro coins will be amended in 2007

Releases Press release number 33 Wednesday 27 December 2006, 12:00 AM
The designs of euro coins will change slightly in 2007. Based on the decision taken by the Ecofin Council in June 2005, coins minted from the beginning of 2007 will have new common and national sides.

Amendments to the common sides concern the maps presented on the coins. The map on the current 1 and 2 euro coins illustrates the European Union as one entity, whereas the map on the current 10, 20 and 50 cent coins illustrates the EU as a group of separate states. However, these maps only comprise the 15 “old” EU Member States. After the introduction of the euro the EU enlarged by 10 new countries in 2004, and a further two countries, Romania and Bulgaria, will join at the beginning of 2007. The maps on the coins will be amended to cover the whole of Europe.

Amendments to the common sides will affect the 10, 20 and 50 cent coins as well as the 1 and 2 euro coins. By contrast, the common sides of the 1, 2 and 5 cent coins are not affected. The map on these coins shows Europe in relation to Africa and Asia on a globe.

The national sides of euro coins will be amended so that each issuing Member State will add its name or abbreviation (FI for Finland) on the coins. On Finnish coins the first letter of the Mint of Finland’s President and CEO (M for Raimo Makkonen) will also be replaced with the Mint’s logo. Amendments to the national sides affect all denominations of euro coins.

Each euro area Member State will decide on the schedule for the introduction of their new coins. In Finland the new coins will be put into circulation in January 2007. The current coins will remain valid, and coins in stock will be put into circulation as necessary. This way coins with the new designs will mix with the current coins in circulation.

Attached to this press release are pictures of the new national side of the 1 euro coin as well as new common sides of 10 cent and 1 euro coins.

You can request printable pictures from the Ministry of Finance, tel. +358 9 1603 059 and 1603 3099, email VM-viestinta@vm.fi, or the Bank of Finland, tel. +358 10 831 2628, email info@bof.fi.

The current common side of euro coins: http://www.ecb.europa.eu/bc/euro/coins/common/html/index.en.html.
The current national side of Finnish coins: http://www.ecb.europa.eu/bc/euro/coins/html/fi.en.html.

For further information, please contact:

Raine Vairimaa, Councellor, Ministry of Finance, tel. +358 9 1603 3014
Kenneth Sainio, Regional Manager, Payment Instruments Department, Bank of Finland,
tel. +358 10 831 3463.

Photos:
1-euro new national side
10-cents new common side
1-euro new common side