Common european currency

The euro is the official currency of the Eurozone: 16 of the 27 Member States of the European Union (EU) and is the currency used by the EU institutions. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain. Estonia is due to join the eurozone on 1 January 2011. The currency is also used in a further five European countries, with and without formal agreements, and is consequently used daily by some 327 million Europeans. Over 175 million people worldwide use currencies which are pegged to the euro, including more than 150 million people in Africa.

The euro is the second largest reserve currency (a status it inherited from the German mark) as well as the second most traded currency in the world after the U.S. dollar. As of June 2010, with more than €800 billion in circulation, the euro is the currency with the highest combined value of banknotes and coins in circulation in the world, having surpassed the U.S. dollar. Based on IMF estimates of 2008 GDP and purchasing power parity among the various currencies, the eurozone is the second largest economy in the world.

The name euro was officially adopted on 16 December 1995. The euro was introduced to world financial markets as an accounting currency on 1 January 1999, replacing the former European Currency Unit (ECU) at a ratio of 1:1. Euro coins and banknotes entered circulation on 1 January 2002.

Euro Coin pictures & specifications

Bi-colour
	2 € Diameter (mm): 25.75 Thickness (mm): 2.20 Weight (g): 8.50 Shape: Round Colour: Outer part: white; inner part: yellow Composition: Outer part: copper-nickel; inner part: three layers: nickel brass, nickel, nickel brass Edge: Edge lettering, fine milled
	1 € Diameter (mm): 23.25 Thickness (mm): 2.33 Weight (g): 7.50 Shape: Round Colour: Outer part: yellow; inner part: white Composition: Outer part: nickel brass; inner part: three layers: copper-nickel, nickel, copper-nickel Edge: Interrupted milled
Nordic Gold
	50 cents Diameter (mm): 24.25 Thickness (mm): 2.38 Weight (g): 7.80 Shape: Round Colour: Yellow Composition: Nordic gold Edge: Shaped edge with fine scallops
	20 cents Diameter (mm): 22.25 Thickness (mm): 2.14 Weight (g): 5.74 Shape: Spanish flower shape Colour: Yellow Composition: Nordic gold Edge: Plain
	10 cents Diameter (mm): 19.75 Thickness (mm): 1.93 Weight (g): 4.10 Shape: Round Colour: Yellow Composition: Nordic gold Edge: Shaped edge with fine scallops
Coppered steel
	5 cents Diameter (mm): 21.25 Thickness (mm): 1.67 Weight (g): 3.92 Shape: Round Colour: Red Composition: Copper-covered steel Edge: Smooth
	2 cents Diameter (mm): 18.75 Thickness (mm): 1.67 Weight (g): 3.06 Shape: Round Colour: Red Composition: Copper-covered steel Edge: Smooth with a groove
	1 cent Diameter (mm): 16.25 Thickness (mm): 1.67 Weight (g): 2.27 Shape: Round Colour: Red Composition: Copper covered steel Edge: Smooth

Reading a coin

Common face

The edges

Coin displayed national side up

Suggestions of designs for the common face

source: www.collect2euros.fr

Euro coins that never were