10th Anniversary of the Euro

[Nighthawk]

WOW! 2009 marks the 10th anniversary of the Euro coins! My, how time flies! There are now 27 member countries in the EU, and with the introduction of the Slovakian euro on Jan 1, 2009, there will be 17 member states issuing the Euro. That makes over 1,000 coin types for the Euro coins, if you include all the circulating coins and commems! That's a lot of coins for someone like me who collects by type! You could probably spend half a lifetime (and most of your savings!) just collecting Euros!!! But I like the challenge. My mailman goes to Germany once a year for vacation, and he always brings back 1 and 2 Euro coins for me to sort thru. I keep the ones I need, and put the duplicates in the grandkiddies collection. What fun! We sure have a great hobby, don't we? 

[CoinCrusader42]

My Euro collection consists of three parts.

1.  An Album which contains the Euros from the first year.

2.  Some 2 Euros commemoratives received from Twoshadows over the years.

3.  A couple beautiful commemorative Euros we bought while visiting Europe.

Unfortunately, I have too many spaces to fill in my U.S., Canadian, British, and Australian collections to think much more about Euros.  However, they remain quite interesting to me.

 

[Triggersmob]

I have a friend in England at the moment. He will be visiting some other European countries also.
He is bringing back some coins from these countries. Can't wait to see what arrives.

[TwoShadows]

As far as I am concerned it is the 8th anniversary of the Euro in 2009. While they started striking them in 1999 they were not released into circulation or OFFICIAL coin of the realm until 2002. The Euro was officially released in 2002. I started collecting them that Jan. and found many nations did not even offer sample packs until 2001? No celebration yet, at least, not for me!

[Nighthawk]

Good point, Terry. Never thought about it that way before. It's just that there are Euros dated 1999, that's the point I was trying to make, that's all. Thanks for the input.

[Sap]

2009 is the 10th anniversary of the euro as a currency unit. In the countries which adopted it, prices and bank accounts began to be listed in euros beginning in 1999, and countries began printing and striking their notes and coins in preparation for the changeover day when all the old currencies would be abolished and the new currency issued for circulation, which happened in 2002.

[Paint Your Wagon]

As far as I am concerned it is the 8th anniversary of the Euro in 2009. While they started striking them in 1999 they were not released into circulation or OFFICIAL coin of the realm until 2002. The Euro was officially released in 2002. I started collecting them that Jan. and found many nations did not even offer sample packs until 2001? No celebration yet, at least, not for me!

Everybody was afraid of a shortage of pocketmoney
So starting half december 2001 every Belgian could buy a starter kit ( from one cent to 2 euro )
Many companies where given those away to employees as taxfree little gifts . Since I was out of a job and a temp I just bought one and then very foolishly unpacked it and put it on my wooden shelf .
The Ecu as been an electronic way of payment a long time before this , but I think mainly the germans objected to the name Ecu so it became the Euro one for one exchange rate
But one could say the Ecu - Euro is much older in electronic form then the struck or printed euro . After all these years my wife still wants to know the price in Belgian Francs since we recognise what we paid as a child for a portion of french fries that is 5 frans that is 1.25 eurocent

[TwoShadows]

Those starter packs, unopened, brought some pretty darn good money on Ebay!!! I know as I bought a few. There were also sample Euro's, which were released much earlier to get the people used to the new size and shape of things wasn't there? They are much more rare than the actual coinage if I remember correctly. I have a sample 5 cent (I think it's a 5) from Spain and they too were hawked on Ebay. Guess the point I was trying to make is the mere fact the coin of the Euro realm went into effect the first of Jan. in 2002. Now the EU, well thats be around for quite a few years, hasn't it?
   I remember reading about the older folks, in many nations, who were absolutely appalled at the change as they suffered great difficulty understanding the conversion rates? It had to be a huge change for most involved and I still can't help but wonder if it was for the good of all the people or for the good of the politics and the rich man? I guess Paint Your Wagon would have the best perspective on what has happend. I still find it odd that Great Britain refused the Euro. I sure would hate to be a cashier there as they have to accept both the pound and the euro and know how to give change!!!

[Paint Your Wagon]

I never saw a Belgian sample "euro"
We used to call it the EEC European Economic Community I guess somewhere it changed to the EU whilst I was not paying attention
The ones to lose the most were the banks since about half their gains came from changing european currencies and about the other half from their trading rooms
Officially it was forbidden to raise prices during change over and double marking of prices in old and new currencies was obliged for like six months
I still see people on the saturday marketplace giving their purse to the vendor and telling him her to fish out the required coppers
I think above all it was a political decision , Belgium had been in the Benelux for as far as I can remember and not having any more borders nor customs is great too .
The uk stayed out cause they did not trust us to not debase the money and guess what : since a few weeks they have been in free fall and are nearly at parity with the euro now. If it were me I would treat them like Poland . See if they are fullfilling the requirements to enter the euro .
After all they are islanders
I don't understand the comments about exchanging because as far as I know nobody is obliged to take any money other then the countries money
and if they do it is for economic reasons ( like Thailand accepting euro )
The person that really made life difficult is the one that decided euro has no plural so euros does not exist

[TwoShadows]

Well over here there are Euros!!!
And speaking of the euro, I have uncovered a couple I intend to sell, but quite frankly don't have a clue what they are now worth. So I will ask all of you fellow euro collectors if you have any up to date info on Vatican City coinage?

I have the 2005 $2 euro Vatican commemorative in its original folder. (20th World Youth Day)
and;

Vatican 2002 $5 euro silver commemorative "Tribute to Women" or something of that nature. Very attractive silver coin. Any one have any ideas as I found nothing on Ebay?

[Paint Your Wagon]

Well over here there are Euros!!!
And speaking of the euro, I have uncovered a couple I intend to sell, but quite frankly don't have a clue what they are now worth. So I will ask all of you fellow euro collectors if you have any up to date info on Vatican City coinage?

I have the 2005 $2 euro Vatican commemorative in its original folder. (20th World Youth Day)
and;

Vatican 2002 $5 euro silver commemorative "Tribute to Women" or something of that nature. Very attractive silver coin. Any one have any ideas as I found nothing on Ebay?

First coin ask 99 euro so probably worth 80 euro

http://cgi.ebay.de/VATIKAN-2-Euro-Gedenkmuenze-2005-Weltjugendtag-Koeln_W0QQitemZ360119672779QQcmdZViewItemQQptZM%C3%BCnzen_Medaillen?hash=item360119672779&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A10%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

Highest sold price last fourtheen days was ask 80 make me an offer sold at 70 euro

http://cgi.ebay.de/2-Euro-Gedenkmuenze-Vatikan-2005-Weltjugendtag-in-Koeln_W0QQitemZ200288117754QQihZ010QQcategoryZ46505QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

The 5 you talk about could be Europa standing in a river close to bridge under rainbow ( you know Europa is the naked goddes)
Ask 180 E much too much of course

http://cgi.ebay.de/5-Euro-Silber-PP-2002-Vatikan-Europa-als-Projekt-des_W0QQitemZ220332600859QQihZ012QQcategoryZ35423QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


Sold for 92 Euro looks like the same coin

http://cgi.ebay.de/Vatikan-Gedenkmuenze-Silber-5-Euro-PP-2002_W0QQitemZ230313840740QQihZ013QQcategoryZ46505QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


All Vatikan you can find on ebay.de which is germany

[TwoShadows]

Thank you Paint Your Wagon. It has been quite some time since I used the "Bay" and most Vatican coins don't last long as the world continues to pay ridiculous prices for them. In 2002 I made so much money on the Vatican coins my wife and I received I couldn't help but feel guilty. And, by the same token, they were valued so highly a man would have to be a fool to keep them. The mint sets, back then, were priced at around $15 with shipping and they sold on Ebay for $880.00 each. The proof sets with shipping were right at $50 and sold three months later at $1,300,00. We don't stumble onto those kind of opportunities every day do we. Since then they have slowly dropped but still very costly to those who "just have to have them" so they are willing to continue to fight over them.
You are very correct about the "Europa standing on a bridge" theme. Very beautiful coin, very beautiful lady and a smiling Pope on the other side!   Guess she will be headed for Ebay as soon as I can get mommy to take a photo and help dumb ole me get it downloaded!

[Paint Your Wagon]

I got the Rape of Europa San Marino ( from a painting ) and the abduction from Europa Spain
Because of the mythology Europa and a bull are seen most often together but that would not do for the Vatican 

[Paint Your Wagon]

Some people like to read stories on ebay so here are some reads

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europa_%28mythology%29

Ye coasts, pray tell my loving father that Europa has left her native land, seated upon a bull, my ravisher, my sailor, and as I think, my bed-fellow." (Europa. Nonnus, Dionysiaca 1.130).

http://homepage.mac.com/cparada/GML/Europa.html

[TwoShadows]

She (Europa) can stay at my house until I get my hole dug!!! Then she can hide with me!!!

[Paint Your Wagon]

She (Europa) can stay at my house until I get my hole dug!!! Then she can hide with me!!!

There is enough of them to go around
I will take the Spanish one

[Paint Your Wagon]

I will leave the French rendition for whomever wants her ( figuratively speaking  )

[TwoShadows]

Yes I see your point. I have a few silver Europa coins in my collection that I consider "keepers" for their interesting art (beauty). The French tend to act if they MUST be different and lean to the modern side of the art form which I have noticed since the intro of the Euro in 2002. Seems they have this need to be different? The Vatican City coins was surprising as Europa is definitely modeled very well on that coin so I understand the smile of the Pope's face on the other side!!!

[Paint Your Wagon]

Well Monnaie de Paris churns out like 70 designs per year
So they must have a permanent design team instead of may the best one win type of contest approach they took in 1780
I stopped my French collection like in 2003 . Now they are in square coins and smaller coins .
Unfortunately the Austrians are churning out even worse Art Nouveau for lack of a better name and in much larger amounts too
It all looks like a modern twist to Jugendstill .

I have no Vatican coin whatsoever allthough like 10% of all coins on offer today on ebay germany seam vatican coins .

[TwoShadows]

I quit buying from the Vatican when they decided to get into the profits, just like the secondary market players. Proof sets went from around $48.00 to $125.00 which I found excessive and nothing short of gouging and that is by religious leaders? The U.S. does just the opposite. They attempt to control our secondary market by mass producing EVERYTHING. For the most part it works and that is why so many U.S. collectors are NOW world wide collectors.

[Nighthawk]

That's me, Terry. I've gotten away from collecting U.S. stuff, and collect more world coins than ever before! I just got sick and tired of the JUNK put out by the U.S. Mint. Sorry if I offended anyone!

[CoinCrusader42]

It's a 360 degree turnaround.

When I first started collecting coins there was NOTHING other than circulating coinage.

Then, the Government discovered the citizens could be cash cows, and now it's the other extreme.

 

[Goose]

And one wonders why I haven't ordered anything from the U S mint since 1964. To me (Thanks to KOTCT), there is more value in old foreign silver coins (+ a few nice copper/bronze coins) than the vast quantities of garbage that the U S mint puts out every yr.

[Paint Your Wagon]

I quit buying from the Vatican when they decided to get into the profits, just like the secondary market players. Proof sets went from around $48.00 to $125.00 which I found excessive and nothing short of gouging and that is by religious leaders? The U.S. does just the opposite. They attempt to control our secondary market by mass producing EVERYTHING. For the most part it works and that is why so many U.S. collectors are NOW world wide collectors.

The vatican has/had a bank Ambrosio or something like that
They were the first umpteen years back to be into defrauding
They have been burning eretics for fun and at a time there were two popes one in Avignon
They helped every living highranked nazi to escapt to South America by a boat arranged for by the pope
The present pope has been in the Hitler jugend
It is not my fault I was born roman catholic but I recognise a punter when I see one

[Paint Your Wagon]

And one wonders why I haven't ordered anything from the U S mint since 1964. To me (Thanks to KOTCT), there is more value in old foreign silver coins (+ a few nice copper/bronze coins) than the vast quantities of garbage that the U S mint puts out every yr.

Some of the new coins from Monnaie de Paris like the one about Lourdes go for more then 400 year old coins
Go and figure who is creaziest . The mint laughing and pocketting the money or the silly collector buying this shit.
I learned my lesson in 1968 in postage stamps I still have and which are only good to stick on envenlopes ( they never expire )

[TwoShadows]

It took me years but I finally USED up my stamp collection as postage. I have a few remaining, mostly space stamps, and those items that did not sell on Ebay. Have a stamped envelope with, if I remember correctly, 22 million miles on it. The envelope flew on the Challenger and as we all know that can't be done again. Quite a colorful folder, along with information and 3 postmarks. They couldn't land when and where they were supposed to so on to the desert they went. Take off postmark, failed landing postmark and actual landing postmark. And of course a photo of the crew. There is a letter stating how the US postal service teamed up with NASA to bring us this rare and unusal commemorative in a once in a lifetime opportunity. I actually sat down and figured up how many millions of dollars they made (from stamp collectors) for putting that small box of envelopes on board that flight. If I remember correctly it was over 13 million. Sure was nice of them to provide the space for that box full of envelopes on the Challenger to benefit us stamp collectors. The government is sooooooo good to us!


For what it is worth I am going to offer the two Vatican coins for sale on this forum at a cheaper rate than I would sell them elsewhere. If your interested check out the "For Sale" posting between now and the 6th as that is when I will put them on Ebay.

[Mortyr2012]

Ok, back to topic a bit
The German Bundesbank is going to issue these EMU coins on January 5th. I will certainly be there and visit them to get some rolls

Marvin

[Triggersmob]

Did someone call??

[TwoShadows]

Hey I see Triggersmob is sporting a new 2009 hairdo!!! You Aussies are always on top of things!!!

And KEEPING on topic for this thread! I love the $2 euro and those SILVER commemoratives! And of course the old classics from ALL over the world. There I am on topic (at least I am trying).

[Nighthawk]

Did someone call??

SHUCKS! Us American's are way ahead of them Aussies when it comes to hairstyles! 

[Mortyr2012]

Did someone call??

 

EMU is the abbrevition for "European Monetary Union", thought you already knew that 

[Triggersmob]

Just joking around.

[TwoShadows]

Could that be a Native American hair style Triggersmob? Sure would look good with my loin cloth, feather and moccasins!!!  If I had any hair left I could do a Mohawk but, as I said, that would take hair. I might be able to muster up enough for the look you have provided a photo of. Looks like a fine looking woman to me! It is a woman isn't it?

[Mortyr2012]

Just joking around.

Ah, ok 

[Nighthawk]

Could that be a Native American hair style Triggersmob? Sure would look good with my loin cloth, feather and moccasins!!!  If I had any hair left I could do a Mohawk but, as I said, that would take hair. I might be able to muster up enough for the look you have provided a photo of. Looks like a fine looking woman to me! It is a woman isn't it?

Steve's photo is the EMU (or whatever it is!). I supplied the photo of the scarry looking woman (or whatever IT is!) LOL! 

[Pocketcoins]

I'd hate to wake up to either one of them things. 

[Mortyr2012]

Tomorrow I am going to buy some rolls of these 2 Euro commemoratives.. If there is anybody interested in this coins (from Germany) I may help you with this..

Marvin

[Mortyr2012]

This is how the minted coin looks like.. I really like them, the quality of the German coins is quite good, but I guess the ones from Belgium and Italy will be minted in a very bad condition I think 

[CoinCrusader42]

Thanks to both of you for the pictures.

Nice looking coins.