Currency Today : Euro Common Design 01 b

After a long introduction, finally the TOR-coins.
TOR stands for Treaty of Rome and eurocollectors often refer to TOR-emmision to indicate this special issue of the 2 euro coins in 2007.

Each participating country can issue one commemorative 2 euro coin per year.
Until now all coins have a mutual design for the value.
The 2 euro on the european map is uniform for all countries.
The front side is different for all countries.
One special issue is allowed per year.
But next to that special issue, there is the possibility to have one common issue for all countries.

In 2007 the first 'common design' was issued.
This in remembrance of the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome in 1957.


The design shows an open book, (with the treaty), the text "Treaty of Rome" in all individual languages, the year 2007 and the name of the issuing country.

TOR Belgium

The first coin is the most interesting one : Belgium


1. Because of all national languages in Belgium, Europe is "EuropA" in Dutch and German and "EuropE" in French. To avoid language problems, EUROP A/E is on the belgian coins.

2. As it was impossible to print 'treaty of Rome' in the 3 national languages, an original solution was found... "Pactrum Romananum Qvuinquagenarium" (the latin translation) can be found on the coin.

3. However the country's name again is in French, Dutch and German again

4. Scale : mint master mark of Romain Coenen (from 2008 on all belgian coins)

5. Head of Archangel St Michael, patron saint of Brussels

Another unique coin is the coin from Luxemburg

Luxemburg has a law that says that the head of state (i.e. Grand Duke Henri of Luxemburg) should always be present on the coins. This is a problem with a 'common design' for all european countries. But the luxemburgians (or Lëtzebuergians) found an elegant solution to that problem.

A small circle was added with the Grand Duke's face.

1. The Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg appears on the coins facing to the left. He was not featured on the Luxembourgish franc as he only became Grand Duke in 2000 following the abdication of his father, Jean. Jean's portrait on the francs showed him facing to the right and it is common in a number of countries for successive monarchs to alternate the direction they faced on coins. Other euro coins issued by member states which are monarchies show their monarchs facing to the left, in common with the effigy on their legacy currencies.

2. Lëtzebuerg is the name of Luxemburg in the national language.

3.    the cornucopia, a French mintmark, since all luxemburgian coins of 2007 and 2008 were minted in France

4. Also a mint master mark : hunting horn with waves : from the french mint master : H. Larivière




Third coin : the Netherlands

Few special marks on the Dutch coin

1. Sailboat, master mint mark of Maarten Brouwer.
Since 2003 on the dutch coins

2.  Mercury's wand : mint mark of the royal dutch mint


last coin for this post .... are 5 coins : Germany

Next to the year 2007 : 5 different letters can be found on german coins :
They refer to the state and city they are minted. In fact we're talking about 5 different coins.

A: Berlin
D: Munich
F: Stuttgart
G: Karlsruhe
J: Hamburg


to be continued...