San Marino honors artist Donatello with €2 coin
- Published: Jul 14, 2016, 4 AM
The Republic of San Marino is marking the 550th anniversary of the death of early Renaissance artist Donatello with a €2 coin.
Donatello created two statues of the biblical hero David, an early work in marble of a clothed figure (1408 to 1409), and a far more famous bronze figure that is nude between its helmet and boots, that dates to the 1430s or later. Both are now in the Museo Nazionale del Bargello in Florence
The head on the latter statue was selected to appear on San Marino’s Donatello coin. In addition, the nation’s name, DONATELLO, the year dates 1466 and 2016 and other text appear on the obverse.
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In total, 85,000 coins were released.
Though the €2 denomination is a circulating coin, few if any of the €2 coins with commemorative designs actually circulate in San Marino, and the coins are geared toward collectors.
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 the flag of the European Union do not count toward this limit.
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