For many years, not a day has gone by when countless Europeans share blurry photos of damaged 2-euro coins from their change on social media. Phrases like "Is this a minting error?" or "What's the value of this coin?" are commonly seen alongside these images. The response is almost invariably: 2 euros. This is because the coin is neither a minting error nor particularly rare. Nevertheless, rarities occasionally find their way into everyday transactions, and indeed, it's rumored that in 2023, the most valuable 2-euro coin in the world, featuring the U.S. film icon Grace Kelly and dating back to 2007 in Monaco, surfaced in Germany, after a collector accidentally spent this rarity.
While the repetitive questions from numismatic newcomers might test the patience of professional numismatists, the enthusiastic interest of a broad cross-section of the population in the collector's value of circulating coins is the best thing that could have happened to European numismatics in the 21st century. The fact that millions of Europeans are constantly on the lookout for numismatic treasures serves as compelling evidence of the Euro's appeal as a collecting field, particularly in the case of the 2-euro circulating commemorative coins introduced in 2004. These coins will mark their 20th anniversary next year, having already achieved another milestone: in September 2023, the 500th design was released on what's known as the "circulating coin with commemorative character." In short, 2-euro commemorative coins have become a remarkable success story.
Looking Back at the Road to the Euro
Although the concept of a
