Obverse designs are chosen nationally, while the reverse and the currency as a whole is managed by the European Central Bank (ECB).
[10] As the EU's membership has since expanded in 2004, 2007 and 2013,[11] with further expansions envisaged, the common face of all euro coins from the value of 10c and above were redesigned in 2007 to show a new map.
The design of the euro coins was officially chosen by the Bulgarian National Bank in November 2023[14] and approved by the Council of the EU in February 2024.
National designs were not allowed to change until the end of 2008, unless a monarch (whose portrait usually appears on the coins) dies or abdicates.
[18] The common side of the €0.01, €0.02 and €0.05 coins depict the denomination, the words 'EURO CENT' beside it, twelve stars and Europe highlighted on a globe in relation to Asia and Africa in the world.
The common side of the €0.10, €0.20 and €0.50 coins currently depict the denomination on the right, the words 'EURO CENT' underneath it, with twelve stars and the European continent on the left.
The common side of the €1 and €2 coins depict the denomination on the left, the currency, map of Europe and twelve stars on the right.
[17] On 2005 June 7, the European Council decided that the common side of the 10 euro cent to €2 coins should be brought up to date to reflect the enlargement of the EU in 2004.
In monarchies, the national side usually features a portrait of the country's monarch, often in a design carried over from the former currency (e.g. Belgian coins).
[23] Due to this, in 2012, a European Regulation established that: "A minor proportion, not exceeding 5 % of the cumulated total net value and volume of circulation coins issued by a Member State, taking into account only years with positive net issuance, may be put on the market above face value if justified by the special quality of the coin, a special packaging or any additional services provided".
(This clause already came into effect for Monaco and the Vatican City, whose heads of state—Rainier III and Pope John Paul II respectively—died in 2005 and whose national obverse sides were changed for 2006).
In 2008, another recommendation changed the rules again:[28] Finland and Belgium had already corrected their design on the coins issued to include the initials of the country in 2007 and 2008, respectively.
[30] As of 2016[update], Belgium, Monaco, the Netherlands, Spain and Vatican City have all experienced a change in head of state and have revised their designs to reflect this and the new regulation where applicable.
Another example, the 2 euro commemorative coins that Belgium planned to issue in 2015 on the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, caused complaints by France and withdrawal of the design.
[31] Euro coins were designed in cooperation with organisations representing blind people, and as a result incorporate many features allowing them to be distinguished by touch alone.
Minting the 2.50 euro denomination obviated France's complaints as the coins are not legal tender in the European Union, only in Belgium.
It is a task of the Eurosystem to ensure an efficient and smooth supply of euro coins and to maintain their integrity throughout the eurozone.
In contrast, the United States has minted over 300 billion pennies since 1983 when the current copper-plated zinc metallic composition began.
The European Technical and Scientific Centre (ETSC) estimates that up to 2 million counterfeit coins were put into circulation in 2002.
Recent investigations by the European Commission have shown that counterfeit sophistication is increasing, making prompt detection more difficult.
[47] In 2008, Irish MEP Eoin Ryan called for tighter regulation over tokens and medals that are being increasingly used for small purchases mainly in vending machines across Europe.
The 1c and 2c coins were initially introduced to ensure that the introduction of the euro was not used as an excuse by retailers to heavily round up prices.
However, due to the cost of maintaining a circulation of low-value coins, both by business and the mints, Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands and Slovakia round prices to the nearest five cents (Swedish rounding) if paying with cash, while producing only a handful of those coins for collectors, rather than general circulation.
The Netherlands followed suit in September 2004,[55] under pressure from retail businesses, which claimed that dealing with 1- and 2-cent coins was too expensive.
After a successful experiment in the town of Woerden in May 2004, retailers across the Netherlands were permitted in September 2004 to round cash transactions to the nearest five cents.
[53][59] In May 2017, the Italian parliament passed a resolution to stop minting 1c and 2c coins starting 1 January 2018 and to introduce Swedish rounding.
[62] According to James Debono writing for Malta Today, "scrapping the coins is considered unthinkable for Germany where both consumers and retailers are obsessed with precise pricing.
[54][64] This is echoed by the European Central Bank which supports the coins, stating it allows businesses to calculate prices more exactly to attract consumers, such as €0.99.
[66] A similar survey in 2017 found 64% across the eurozone favoring their removal with prices rounded, with over 70% in Belgium, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands and Slovakia.
The guidelines were based on ten guiding principles, including two that still remain: "No surcharges should be imposed on payments in cash" and "Member States should not adopt new rounding rules to the nearest five cent".