Ten years of economic and monetary union (EMU) and the birth of the euro

The centre of the coin shows a stylised human figure whose left arm is prolonged by the euro symbol. The initials ΓΣ of the artist appear below the euro symbol. The name(s) of the issuing country in the national language(s) appear(s) at the top, while the indication 1999-2009 and the acronym EMU translated into the national language(s) appear at the bottom.

200th anniversary of Louis Braille's birth

The coin features a portrait of Louis Braille, the inventor of braille, a world-wide system used by blind and visually impaired people for reading and writing.

Issuing volume: 5 million coins 

Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU 2010

This 2 euro commemorative coin issued by Belgium celebrates the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2010.


Issuing volume: 5 million coins

100th anniversary of the International Women's Day

The coin commemorates the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day, which is celebrated on 8 March as a major day of global celebration of women.

The inner part of the coin depicts the effigies of Isala Van Diest, the first female Belgian medical doctor, and of Marie Popelin, the first female Belgian lawyer. Their names and professional symbols are shown underneath on either side of the year 2011. Above their effigies, the Mint master mark and the mintmark are shown on either side of the reference to their nationality "BE".

The coin’s outer ring depicts the 12 stars of the European Union flag. Issuing volume: 5 million coins

Belgium: The coin commemorates the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day

Commemorative Coins: 10 years of the Euro (Various Countries)

Commemorative Coins

The Euro-sign in the centre of the coin shows that the Euro has become an element of particular importance in Europe as well all over the world as the Euro evolved to a global player in the international monetary system in the last 10 years. The design elements around the Euro-symbol on the coin express the importance of the Euro to the people, to the financial world (ECB tower), to trading (ships), to industry (factories), to the energy sector and research and development (wind power stations). The initials AH of the artist appear under the image of the ECB tower. The name(s) of the issuing country in the national language(s) appear(s) at the top, while the indication 2002-2012 appears at the bottom.

Issuing volume: 96 million coins:

Commemorative Coins: 10 years of the Euro (Various Countries)

Commemorative Coins: The 75th anniversary of Queen Elisabeth Competition (Belgium)

Commemorative Coins

The 75th anniversary of Queen Elisabeth Competition:

Description: The inner part of the coin features the emblem of Queen Elisabeth Competition on the effigy of Queen Elizabeth, in left profile, flanked by the Mintmaster mark at the left and the mint mark at the right, the latter representing a helmeted head of the Archangel Michael. On top of the effigy the years 1937-2012 and below the inscription "QUEEN ELISABETH COMPETITION." At the right hand side of the effigy the indication of the issuing country "BE". The coin’s outer ring depicts the 12 stars of the European flag.
Issuing volume: 5 million coins
Date of issue: May 2012

Commemorative Coins: The 75th anniversary of Queen Elisabeth Competition (Belgium)

The Euro Is A Single Currency

The euro is the single currency shared by (currently) 17 of the European Union's Member States, which together make up the euro area. The introduction of the euro in 1999 was a major step in European integration. It has also been one of its major successes: around 330 million EU citizens now use it as their currency and enjoy its benefits, which will spread even more widely as other EU countries adopt the euro.

The euro is the single currency shared by (currently) 17 of the European Union's Member States, which together make up the euro area. The introduction of the euro in 1999 was a major step in European integration: around 330 million EU citizens now use it as their currency.

When the euro was launched on 1 January 1999, it became the new official currency of 11 Member States, replacing the old national currencies – such as the Deutschmark and the French franc – in two stages. First the euro was introduced as an accounting currency for cash-less payments and accounting purposes, while the old currencies continued to be used for cash payments. Since 1 January 2002 the euro has been circulating in physical form, as banknotes and coins. The euro is not the currency of all EU Member States. Two countries (Denmark and the United Kingdom) have ‘opt-out’ clauses in the Treaty exempting them from participation, while the remainder (several of the more recently acceded EU members plus Sweden) have yet to meet the conditions for adopting the single currency.