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!!!