2015: Common "European Flag" €2 Issue

[chrisild]

There have been rumors about a common €2 commemorative coin, to be issued in 2015, with the theme "30th Anniversary of the European Flag". Actually the flag is older, but in 1985 it was adopted as an EU symbol.

When our member Frizio showed us his idea for such a coin (see here), I initially thought that there won't be such a piece. Well, except there are serious thoughts about it ...  Currently we do not have an official decision yet, but that may change.

As a collector I am not really fond of the idea. Yes, if the euro area was able to agree to a truly common issue, that would be interesting. However, if this was one of those joint issues - with 19 almost identical designs - my desire to get the pieces would be close to zero.

Christian

[chrisild]

This is a note from the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union to the Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper) PDF, English, about 160K file. Quote:

COREPER could therefore suggest that the Council at a forthcoming meeting decides on a new common commemorative coin for 2015 commemorating the "30th anniversary of the European flag".

Background: The European Flag was first adopted by the Council of Europe (CoE - not an EU body) in 1955. In April 1983 the European Parliament voted for a decision to also use that flag, and in June 1985 the European Council (an EU body) said Yes. The CoE gave its OK as well, and today uses a slightly modified version (see logo). So the European Flag as a symbol of the EU is indeed 30 years old ...

Interestingly, Europe Day and the European Anthem were equally adopted as EU (and in a broader sense European) symbols by the Council in 1985. But it seems the proposed coin would be about the flag only.

Christian

[annovi.frizio]

my.. proposal.. :-)



here:

http://www.friziodesign.it/coins20.html

:-)

[eurocoin]

The other proposed themes for a joint 2 euro commemorative coin in 2015 were:

70th Anniversary of the Second World War
65th Anniversary of the Schuman Declaration
50th Anniversary of the Death of Winston Churchill

[Bimat]

I'm really surprised to see Churchill's name for the common theme!

Aditya

[chrisild]

I'm really surprised to see Churchill's name for the common theme!

Some kind of joke maybe? As for the other two, the WW2 theme will be dealt with on next year's euro/star coins (European Silver Program, or so), and the Schuman Declaration would have been covered by the Europe Day that I mentioned. After all, 9 May refers to Schuman's speech in 1950 but became an EU "symbol" in 1985, just like the flag and the anthem.

In any case, if we are to get 19 almost identical commemorative pieces, I will not.   Get them, that is.  Maybe one, just as I don't need all five mint marks for Germany ...

Christian

[eurocoin]

According to the document they wanted to commemorate him because it was he who called for the United Nations of Europe. No further explanation is given. There won't be a public designing competition, only mints will be able to submit designs and the public will be able to vote again (after a pre-selection by a jury). The coins will be issued in June 2015.

Who knows, San Marino may issue a coin for this occasion too so that would make 20 (or 24 for people who collect all 5 mintmarks on the German coins).

[chrisild]

According to the document they wanted to commemorate him because it was he who called for the United Nations of Europe.

Yes, shortly after WW2 in Zurich. Ironically, the "we" that he used then apparently refers to Continental Europe, and his country did not contribute much, as far as I can tell, to the construction of the union that Churchill may have had in mind. So it makes sense to not use that as a theme, but of course in 2016 some member states may issue coins that commemorate the anniversary of the speech.

Thanks for the link to that PDF file. It seems that the decision making process has advanced further than I thought ...

Christian

[eurocoin]

Just came across this in the document, it is going to be a very expensive series I guess

"Some Member States have indicated that their 2015 issuance planning is already well advanced.
It is therefore agreed that some Member States will mint only very small quantities below the call for
tender threshold."

[Bimat]

Just came across this in the document, it is going to be a very expensive series I guess

I think that's just yet another excuse for issuing less number of coins, both dealers and the issuing authorities will make fortune of it anyway...

Aditya

[augsburger]

Yeah, and it will backfire on them. The less they mint, the less people will collect.

[Bimat]

Yeah, and it will backfire on them. The less they mint, the less people will collect.

Unfortunately, it is not happening, at-least with euro coins. The demand seems to be growing every year...

Aditya

[chrisild]

Unfortunately, it is not happening, at-least with euro coins. The demand seems to be growing every year...

If people could simply do what I do, this world would be a better pla----errm, I mean, then this common issue might change things.   In a German language forum, somebody suggested to try a combination of flags: If the conditions of the "mint contest" said that it would be OK to combine the European flag and the national flag, the designers might choose to put the European and the French flag on the French coin, European and Dutch on the Dutch piece, etc.

This way you would still have an easily recognizable "family" of coins, but the designs would be slightly different. And since the EU's motto is Unity in Diversity, his idea is quite appropriate. He did send the suggestion to the Council, but who knows whether there will be any reaction ...

Christian

[augsburger]

Well, no doubt it would be a bland coin, there's no competition open to all I'm assuming, so it'll just be your generic rubbish that took a couple of minutes to draw.

[chrisild]

Well, no doubt it would be a bland coin, there's no competition open to all I'm assuming, so it'll just be your generic rubbish that took a couple of minutes to draw.

Guess they just issue "bland" issues to increase your pulse or blood pressure.   On the average, I find euro coins about as well or badly designed as many others, but of course YMMV. As for the designs, the proposal makes a suggestion regarding the procedure - basically the same way as last time. (Don't think the design that won took just a few minutes ...) Just for the record, those common issues are the only coins that I may at least vote on; Germany does not even allow that when it comes to their designs.

So, as I wrote, I am not fond of this issue, and may well decide to not get it except for one piece. But that is simply due to the (probable) uniformity combined with low mintages.

Edit - The Portuguese Mint now lists such an issue in its annual program. More "later".

Christian