The slate of circulating commemorative €2 coin designs revealed for 2019 includes three coins with themes celebrating economic and political institutions. 

Belgium will issue a coin to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the European Monetary Institute, and Germany marks the 70th anniversary of the Bundesrat’s founding (the Bundesrat is the legislative body in Germany). Luxembourg has announced designs for a coin marking the 100th anniversary of the accession to the throne of Grand Duchess Charlotte.

Belgium’s coin will feature a portrait of Alexandre Lamfalussy, the first president of the EMI, on the right, with his name below. On the left-hand side, the abbreviation EMI stands with the year 1994 above, referring to date of the establishment of the Institute. 

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The EMI’s main focus was to establish the European System of Central Banks, including the European Central Bank and the euro currency.

In total, 155,000 coins are due for release in January. 

Germany’s coin shows the Bundesrat building. The upper half of the coin’s inner section includes the Mint mark of the respective mint (A, D, F, G or J), the artist’s initials and the year 2019. The lower half of the coin’s inner section contains the inscription BUNDESRAT and Germany’s issuing country code D. Thirty million coins will be issued, 6 million per mint, with the release timed around the World Money Fair in Berlin Jan. 31 or Feb. 1. 

Luxembourg’s coin shows photograph-like images of the Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Charlotte. The inscription on the coin translates to “Centenary of the accession to the throne of Grand Duchess Charlotte.”

The mintage is 500,000 pieces, due for January release.

Each €2 ringed-bimetallic coin has a copper-nickel core and copper-aluminum-nickel ring. The €2 coins weighs 8.5 grams and measure 25.75 millimeters in diameter.

Their common reverse shows a map of the European Union.

Each nation may issue two different circulating commemorative designs annually, with designs of their choosing. Joint euro programs, like the 2015 coins honoring the 30th anniversary of the flag of the European Union, do not count toward this limit. 

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