The Twenty Euro Cents coin (€0.20) has a value of one fifth of a Euro and is composed of an alloy called Nordic Gold (89% copper, 5% aluminium, 5% zinc, and 1% tin), with a "Spanish flower" shape (smooth edge separated into equal sections by seven indents). Like all other common circulation coins (from 1 cent to €2), the denomination is issued by the separate countries in the Eurozone and is legal tender in all of them, irrespective of which country has issued it. The denomination was introduced in 2002, when Austria retired the Austrian Schilling currency and introduced the Euro.
The coins have a common reverse designed by Luc Luycx in 1999 which showed a map of the European Union; it was changed in 2007 to reflect the enlargement of the Union, and later coins show all of western Europe. Each country has its own national obverse; the Austrian obverse was designed by Josef Kaiser.
Austrian Twenty Euro Cents feature the Belvedere Palace in Vienna, an example of Baroque architecture, symbolising national freedom and sovereignty. Austria is the only country which uses the Latin alphabet, and yet repeats the denomination on the national side of the coins - thus not adhering to a rule which only allows members of the Eurozone to show the denomination in their own language if it uses non-Latin script.
All Austrian coins are struck by the Austrian Mint in Vienna. |