Two Euro 2012 Euro Cash Anniversary, Coin from Austria - detailed information

The Two Euro coin (€2.00) is a circulating bi-metallic coin made of two alloys: the inner part of nickel brass, the outer part of copper-nickel. Like all the 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 shows a map of the European Union; it was changed in 2007 to reflect the enlargement of the Union. Each country has its own national obverse; the Austrian regular obverse features a portrait of Bertha von Suttner.

The €2 is also the only denomination in which circulating commemorative Euro coins are issued; these are also legal tender in all countries of the Eurozone, no matter which country issued them; commemoratives of other denominations are only legal tender in the issuing country. The number of commemorative coins is limited to two (before 2012 to one) per country per year (in addition to any common issue) and to 5 percent of the total mintage output. Given that the reverse is fixed, the commemorative designs are always on the obverse.

This coin commemorates the 10th anniversary of the introduction of Euro cash (coins and banknotes) in 2002. It is part of a joint commemorative by 17 members states, where each country issued a €2 coin with the same design but with national texts.

The euro sign in the centre of the coin's design symbolises that the euro has become an element of particular importance in Europe as well as all over the world as it evolved into a global player in the international monetary system in the past ten years. The design elements around the euro sign express the importance of the euro to the people, to the financial world - the European Central Bank (ECB) tower, to trading (ships), to industry (factories), to the energy sector and research and development (wind power stations). The design was created by Helmut Andexlinger - a designer at the Austrian Mint.

Austrian Two Euro coins issued in 2012 have now been in circulation for 12 years.