Portugal marks 2016 Olympic Games on €2 coin
- Published: Apr 4, 2016, 9 AM

Portugal is commemorating the Portuguese athletes participating in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with a coin.
The circulating commemorative €2 coin's obverse displays a famed piece of modern art with a historic inspiration. The composition is based on a work of art signed by the artist Joanna Vasconcelos, her Heart of Viana sculptures, inspired by traditional jewelry from the north of Portugal (around the city of Viana do Castelo).
It symbolizes the support of the Portuguese people for the national team on the occasion of the Games, according to promotional material advertising the coin's release.
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Inscribed at left in semi-circle is JOANA VASCONCELOS (the artist) and, at right, EQUIPA OLÍMPICA DE PORTUGAL 2016 (translating to "Portugal’s 2016 Olympic team"). At the bottom is INCM, Mint mark of the Imprensa Nacional de Casa de Moneda.
in total, 650,000 coins are due for release before March ends.
The ringed-bimetallic coin has a copper-nickel core and copper-aluminum-nickel ring.
The coin’s outer ring depicts the 12 stars of the European flag. The common reverse shows a map of the European Union.
The €2 coin weighs 8.5 grams and measures 25.75 millimeters in diameter.
Each nation is allowed to issue up to two different circulating commemorative designs annually, with designs of their choosing, though few nations issue the maximum number of designs.
Joint euro programs like the 2015 coins honoring the 30th anniversary of flag of the European Union do not count toward this limit.
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