S.I. No. 347/2001 - Economic and Monetary Union Act, 1998 (Design of Coins) (No. 2) Order, 2001

WHEREAS I, Charlie McCreevy, Minister for Finance, have decided to provide coins of the denomination 2 euro, 1 euro, 50 cent, 20 cent, 10 cent, 5 cent, 2 cent and 1 cent;

WHEREAS Council Regulation (EC) No. 975/98 of 3 May 1998¹ as amended by Council Regulation (EC) 423/99 of 22 February 1999² lays down the technical specifications in respect of each such denomination of those coins;

WHEREAS it has been agreed by the participating Member States that the common face of each of those coins shall have an impression as set out in the Schedule to this Order;

NOW I, Charlie McCreevy, Minister for Finance, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 11 of the Economic and Monetary Union Act, 1998 (No. 38 of 1998), hereby order as follows:

1.   This Order may be cited as the Economic and Monetary Union Act, 1998 (Design of Coins) (No. 2) Order, 2001.

2.   In this Order “a coin” means a coin to be provided under section 11 (1) of the Economic and Monetary Union Act, 1998 (No. 38 of 1998), of the denominations two euro, one euro, fifty cent, twenty cent, ten cent, five cent, two cent and one cent.

3.   A coin shall have for the obverse impression a harp and twelve stars with the inscription “Eire” and the year in respect of which it is struck and the reverse impression shall be as specified in the Schedule to this Order.

4.   The edge of a coin of the denomination two euro shall have incised thereon twelve stars interspersed with the figure “2” used six times.

5.   The Economic and Monetary Union Act, 1998 (Design of Coins) Order, 2001 ( S.I. No. 312 of 2001 ) is revoked.

SCHEDULE

Designs on the Reverse of Coins issued pursuant to Section 11 of the Economic and Monetary Union Act, 1998

Coins of Denomination 1 cent, 2 cent and 5 cent

On the 1 cent, 2 cent and 5 cent coins, the numeral, representing the value of the coin, appears on the left hand side of the common face. Horizontally, to the upper right of the numeral, appear the words “EURO CENT”, the latter placed below the former. Below the numeral, six straight lines run diagonally between the lower left hand side and the upper right hand side of the face. There are twelve stars superimposed on these lines, one just before the ends of each line. On the lower right hand side of the face, the globe is superimposed on the mid-section of these lines. The European Union is highlighted on the globe.

Coins of Denomination 10 cent, 20 cent and 50 cent

On the 10 cent, 20 cent and 50 cent coins, the numeral, representing the value of the coin, appears on the right hand side of the common face. Horizontally, below the numeral, appear the words “EURO CENT”, the latter placed below the former. Six straight lines run vertically between the lower and upper left hand side of the face. There are twelve stars superimposed on these lines, one just before the ends of each line. Superimposed on the mid-and upper-section of these lines, is a representation of the European Union, on which the 15 Member States are shown separately.

Coins of Denominations 1 euro and 2 euro

On the 1 euro and the 2 euro coins, the numeral, representing the value of the coin, appears on the left hand side of the common face. Six straight lines run vertically between the lower and upper right hand side of the face. There are twelve stars superimposed on these lines, one just before the ends of each line. On the right hand side of the face is a representation of the European Union, where the borders between Member States are marked with a thin line. The right hand part of the representation is superimposed on the mid-section of the lines. The word “EURO” is superimposed horizontally across the middle of the right hand side of the face.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation).

This Order provides for the Irish design of the national face of the euro and cent coins and for the “edge lettering” design of the 2 euro coin and repeats in a schedule the description agreed at EU level for designs for the common faces of the coins. The Order also revokes the Economic and Monetary Union Act, 1998 (Design of Coins) Order, 2001 ( SI No. 312 of 2001 ).

¹ OJ L 139, 11.5.1998, pp. 6-8

² OJ L 52, 27.2.1999, pp. 2 and 3