50th Anniversary of Grand Duke Jean's Accession to the Throne

Portraits of Grand Dukes Henri and Jean, both facing left. Above Jean's portrait: the year "1964" and a crown. Below the portraits: the names "Jean" and "Henri" and the year "2014". The upper inner edge bears the circular inscription "50e ANNIVERSAIRE DE L'ACCESSION AU TRÔNE DU GRAND-DUC JEAN".

In 2015 a retrospective set was issued comprising the Luxembourg €2 commemorative coins of 2013–2015 (LU-13 G1, LU-14 G1, LU-14 G2, LU-15 G1, LU-15 G2, LU-15 G3).

Grand Duke Jean shaped Luxembourg for more than three decades. When he succeeded his mother, Grand Duchess Charlotte, on 12 November 1964, he took over a country in economic transformation: the steel industry still dominated the Luxembourg economy at the time, but as head of state Jean also witnessed its decline and Luxembourg's rise to become a European financial and institutional centre. Under his reign the Grand Duchy became firmly established as part of European integration - Luxembourg was a founding member of the European Communities, and Jean continuously embodied in this role the country's connection to the European project. In 2000 he handed over the regency to his son Henri, who has served as Grand Duke ever since.

Jean was born in 1921, the son of Grand Duchess Charlotte and Prince Félix of Bourbon-Parma, and served in the Irish Guards of the British Army during the Second World War - a fact that shaped his public standing permanently. His 36-year reign is regarded as one of the most stable periods in Luxembourg's history. In 2014 Luxembourg marked the 50th anniversary of that accession to the throne with a commemorative issue that also highlights the dynastic continuity between Jean and his successor Henri. Jean died in April 2019 at the age of 98 in Luxembourg City.