EU Presidency €2 commemorative and circulating coin

Central Bank of Ireland has launched a €2 commemorative and circulating coin to mark Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The coin was launched at a special ceremony at our Dockland Campus by Governor Gabriel Mahkouf and An Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, Simon Harris TD.

500,000 specially designed €2 coins have entered circulation. The coin features the official Presidency logo, which draws inspiration both from scientific discovery and Ireland’s artistic heritage. It represents the spiral structure of the nebula, first identified in Ireland in the 1840s using the Great Telescope at Birr Castle, built by the third Earl of Rosse.

The Central Bank is no stranger to the residents of Birr Castle, having minted a collector coin to commemorate the son of the third Earl, Sir Charles Algernon Parsons, inventor of the steam turbine.

The pattern on the new coin is also inspired by Irish sculptural work reflecting a connection with ancient Irish symbols, reinterpreted through a modern lens. Each individual arm of the spiral features 27 discs, which symbolise the 27 EU Member States.

The resulting space at the centre forms a five-point star, a symbol from the EU flag.

The coin is a tangible symbol of Ireland’s leadership during a pivotal time for Europe, with half a million symbols of our Presidency entering the pockets of citizens around the Euro area.