Currency Today : Euro Common Design 01 a

There are thousands of blogs already dealing with the topic of Euro coins.

So why this on my blog as well ?
Well in order to make a difference, let's try a different approach ...

1957 was the year that the movie "12 angry men" was issued.
12 angry men, tells the story of a jury made up of 12 men as they deliberate the guilt or acquittal of a defendant on the basis of reasonable doubt. In the United States (both then and now), the verdict in most criminal trials by jury must be unanimous one way or the other.

In the beginning of the movie, 11 member of the jury plead 'guilty' and only one is convinced of the innocence of the suspected murder. As discussions go on, one by one reviews their opion and by the end of the movie, 11 out of the 12 are in favour of voting 'non-guilty' and only one is convinced the accused should be found guilty.
Finally the accused is found not guilty by all of the jury members, and this thanks to the effort of one in particular who can convince everyone else...

Screenshot : 12 Angry Men - 1957

Maybe the link with the 12 angry men is a bit fetched, still I see some point of comparison

Isn't 12 also the number of participating states of the European Union?
Not that the European Union is guilty to anything, but didn't it take a lot of discussions, in confined places? With few member states taking the initiatives... in order to get everyone so far to give up some personal objections in favour of a greater ideal?

On March 25, 1957, some 'angry' men from Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Wester Germany, Luxemburg and Italy, gathered in Rome.
In 1951, the same 6 countries already agreed on a european cooperation for Coal and Steel. This second set of Treaties made the base for all european cooperation in the future.

Signing the Treaty of Rome - Rome 1957

The 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome was celebrated on 25 March 2007. The Treaty of Rome established the European Economic Community and notably paved the way for the introduction of the euro in 1999 and euro banknotes and coins in 2002. The euro-area Member States had decided to issue a common commemorative 2-euro circulation coin on this occasion. It has been agreed that the design presented on the national face should be the same in all countries. The European Mints have organised a competition to select the most attractive design. 

A jury (once more) composed of Ms Berès, representing the European Parliament, Mr Junker as President of the Eurogroup, and Commissioner Almunia, selected on 5 May 2006, the design of this commemorative coin which was issued in 2007. The winning design shows the Treaty signed by the six founding countries on a background evocating the paving (designed by Michelangelo) of the Piazza del Campidoglio in Rome, where the Treaty was signed on 25 March 1957.

The translation of the word 'Europe' appears above the book. The translation of the words 'Treaty of Rome 50 years' is inscribed above the design. The year 2007 and the national name of the issuing country are inscribed under the design. The twelve stars of the European flag are depicted on the outer ring. 

2 euro common design 2007

13 countries have issued this TOR-coin (Treaty of Rome) - Germany issued 5 different letters on the coins : A - D - F - G and J  (so 17 different coins in total).


more about the coins in my next post ...