Every 2-euro coin at a glance.

2-euro circulation coins

When euro cash was introduced on 1 January 2002, an entirely new collecting field was born. Each of the twelve founding countries — plus the microstates Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican — issued its own 2-euro circulation coin with a national side and a shared common side. The design changes only rarely, for example when a head of state changes.

The common side was redrawn in 2007 to show the whole European continent instead of only the EU members. The coin is bimetallic (copper-nickel ring, three-layer core), weighs 8.5 g at 25.75 mm, and its edge lettering differs from country to country.

2-euro commemorative coins

A 2003 decision of the European Commission allowed commemorative 2-euro coins from 2004 onwards. The very first was issued by Greece for the Athens Olympics. Each country may issue up to two per year; unlike higher-value commemoratives, 2-euro commemoratives are legal tender across the entire eurozone.

Joint (community) issues

For pan-European anniversaries all eurozone countries strike the same motif — a joint issue. Five have appeared so far, a sixth is scheduled for 2029:

• 2007: 50 years of the Treaty of Rome
• 2009: 10 years of Economic and Monetary Union
• 2012: 10 years of euro cash
• 2015: 30 years of the EU flag
• 2022: 35 years of the Erasmus programme
• 2029: 25 years of EU enlargement

More than 700 different 2-euro coins have now been issued — the full list is in the catalogue.

The most valuable and rarest coin

The most valuable and, at a mintage of just 20,001, also the rarest regular 2-euro coin in uncirculated grade is Monaco's 2007 issue for the 25th anniversary of the death of Princess Grace (Grace Kelly) — one of the most sought-after pieces in the field.

It can pay to check your change: we give a value rating for every coin (see market prices). Even common coins have their appeal — Italy's 2006 Turin Winter Olympics issue, at 40 million pieces, is the highest-mintage coin in the field. Other sought-after low-mintage issues:

• 2-euro commemorative coin Cyprus 2024 (20 Years of Cyprus's EU Accession) – 7.000 pieces
• 2-euro commemorative coin Malta 2022 (UN Security Council Resolution on Women, Peace and Security) – 65.500 pieces
• 2-euro commemorative coin Malta 2021 (Heroes of the Pandemic) – 72.500 pieces
• 2-euro commemorative coin Malta 2024 (Native Species – The Maltese Honey Bee) – 80.000 pieces
• 2-euro commemorative coin Malta 2023 (225th Anniversary of the Arrival of Napoleon Bonaparte and the French in Malta) – 85.500 pieces

Coins of the microstates

The microstates Monaco, the Vatican, San Marino and Andorra issue their own euro coins under monetary agreements. The first three have done so since 2002, Andorra since 2014. Their very low mintages make them especially prized — you will almost never find them in circulation.

Gold-plated and coloured coins

Some dealers offer gold-plated or coloured 2-euro coins for collectors. Such alterations legally void their status as legal tender, so they are pure collectables with no face value.

So-called medals without an official denomination are sometimes sold as trial strikes but rarely have genuine collector value. When in doubt, check our catalogue: if an issue is listed, it is official and can be bought from our partner dealers.

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“Collecting 2-euro coins is hugely popular – above all because of the varied designs, high mintages and low cost. Today it is one of the most popular fields of collecting in the eurozone.”

Sebastian Richter, Editor-in-Chief