World of Coins

Usually we think of coins as having an obverse and a reverse. However, in the euro zone, the preferred terms are "common side" and "national side." Below you see the common side of the euro coins.

I know that at some point the map was changed, but that detail is irrelevant to the design factors that I want to analyse in this topic.

You can see that, as far as metal content is concerned, the euro coins can be divided into three tiers:

1] Red coins 1, 2 and 5 euro cents.

2] Yellow coins: 10, 20 and 50 euro cents.

3] Bimetallic coins: 1 and 2 euro.

Next I would like to classify the national sets according to the number of designs on their national sides and how these designs are spread across the three tiers.

Type 1 is easy. These sets use only a single design on their national sides. I shall now illustrate the Type 1 sets.

Belgium: King Albert's set. I know that originally his monogram appeared alongside the stars on the rim, but that is irrelevant to my subject.

Belgium: King Philippe. This is also a Type 1 set.

Estonia: the only design being a map of the country.

Ireland: only the harp appears on the national side. We know it so well from the Irish pre-euro coins.

(http://www.worldofcoins.eu/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=39617.0;attach=75068;image)

Lithuania is also a Type 1 set.

Pope John Paul II died in 2005. The euro set for the Vatican City, of 2002 to 2005, showed three different portraits of him. I will illustrate the set later.

After he died, the remaining coins of 2005 showed the Vatican City's emblem only on the national side. This was known as a "Sede vacante" set, indicating "seat vacant", i.e. no pope.

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From 2014 to 2016, the Vatican euro set showed three different portraits of Pope Francis. I will illustrate them later. However, Pope Francis decided he no longer wanted his portrait to appear on the coin, so since 2017 the national side of the euros features the Pope's personal arms only. This is then another Type 1 set, according to my classification.

So, I count seven Type 1 sets in total. Are you surprised there are so many? I am.

As for the designs, I find that the portraits look more interesting. Also, the knight is more interesting than the harp, and the harp is more interesting than the map.

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You can visualise the Type 1 sets in this way:

Tier 1.  a a a
Tier 2.  a a a
Tier 3.  a a

Here a letter refers to a distinct design type, but since we have only one design, I have used only the letter "a".

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I characterise my Type 2 sets as having only one design of "a" in tiers 1 and 2. Six coins therefore share a common design. However, I then split my type 2 into two separate categories, to accommodate the differences in tier 3.

Type 2a.

Tier 1.  a a a
Tier 2.  a a a
Tier 3.  b b

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Type 2b.

Tier 1.  a a a
Tier 2.  a a a
Tier 3.  b c

The Netherlands under Queen Beatrix was a type 2a set.

The Netherlands under King Willem-Alexander is also a type 2a set.

The Vatican City set of 2002-5 was a type 2a set. It depicted Pope John Paul II.

Interestingly, the same portrait was used for tier 3 as on tiers 1 and 2, but now it has a different coup.

The legend is arranged differently on the tier 1 and 2 coins, so perhaps they could be regard as sub-types. However, I only want to consider the pictorial parts of the design.

The Vatican City set of for Pope Benedict was also a type 2a set.

The coup on tier 3 is slightly longer than on the other two tiers.

Once more, the legend is arranged differently on the tier 1 and 2 coins.

So, we have four sets in total of Type 2a.

Now let's look at the Type 2b sets.

Finland is a Type 2b set.  It is the only one.  Correct me if I am wrong.

Now we come to the Type 3 sets.

We saw that Type 2 sets had at least six coins sharing the same design. Type 3 sets have only three coins at most sharing a common design. Tiers 1 and 2 each have their own common design. Sometimes, tier 3 has its own common design, shared by the 1 and 2 euro coins - in that case, I call it a Type 3a. If the 1 and 2 euro each have their own design, then it is a Type 3b.

Type 3a.

Tier 1.  a a a
Tier 2.  b b b
Tier 3.  c c

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Type 3b.

Tier 1.  a a a
Tier 2.  b b b
Tier 3.  c d

Cyprus is a Type 3a set.

France: Type 3a.

Latvia: Type 3a.

(http://www.worldofcoins.eu/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=39617.0;attach=84585;image)

Luxembourg: a Type 3a set, seen above.

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Malta: Type 3a, below.

Monaco's current set, under Prince Albert II, is a Type 3a.

Portugal: Type 3a.

Slovakia: Type 3a.

Spain's first euro set: Type 3a.  The 1 and 2 euro coins featured King Juan Carlos I.

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Spain's current euro set is also a Type 3a. Only the tier 3 designs have changed (1 and 2 euro), to honour King Felipe VI.

So, we have had twelve Type 3a sets. It is a popular design structure.

Next, the Type 3b sets.

Andorra's set is Type 3b.

Monaco's first set was a Type 3b.  The 1 euro design depicted Prince Rainier III (left), who was the reigning monarch at the time, alongside Crown Prince Albert, who is now Prince and head of state.

So, we have had ten Type 3a sets but only two Type 3b sets.

We had only one Type 2b set. The Type 2b and Type 3b sets both have different designs for the 1 and 2 euros coins. In total there are only three such sets. It is evidently not a popular (or common) option.

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Finally we come to the Type 4 set, where every design on the national side is different.

Austria is a Type 4 set.

Greece: Type 4 set.

Italy: Type 4 set.

San Marino, first set: Type 4 set.

Slovenia: Type 4 set.

So, we have six Type 4 sets in total.

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The final analysis:

Type 1:    Seven sets.
Type 2a:  Four sets.
Type 2b:  One set.
Type 3a:  Twelve sets.
Type 3b:  Two sets.
Type 4:    Six sets.

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Type 2b and 3b sets, where the 1 and 2 euro designs are different, are not popular

Type 3a, where each tier has a common design, is the most common type, with twelve sets.

Type 1, with only one national design per set, is surprisingly common, with seven sets. Their common design helps with instant recognition.

Type 4, where each national design is different, is the third most common option, with six sets.

I've added a poll so that you can vote for your favourite design structure.

Type 1.  Examples: Ireland, Estonia.

Type 2a. Example: The Netherlands. A common design for the six lowest denominations, and another design shared by the 1 and 2 euros.

Type 2b. Example: Finland: A common design for the six lowest denominations, and two separate designs for the 1 and 2 euros.

Type 3a. Examples: France, Germany.  One design per tier.

Type 3b. Example: Andorra. A design for tier 1, another for tier 2, and two separate designs for the 1 and 2 euros.

Type 4. A different design for each coin.

Perhaps you would like to see a design structure that has so far not appeared? How about a four tier structure:

1, 2 cents.
5, 10 cents.
20, 50 cents.
1, 2 euro.

Or maybe not. It doesn't follow the metal content. Would any other options appeal to you?

To post comments about this topic, please click on the link below:

Comments on "Design structure of the euro sets" (http://www.worldofcoins.eu/forum/index.php/topic,43449.0.html)

See also: Euro design structure: overview of linked topics (http://www.worldofcoins.eu/forum/index.php/topic,43767.0.html).