Since the euro was officially introduced in 1999, most of the EMU member countries began producing their coins ahead of the 2002 introduction date.
There is individual national legislation in place which governs the mintage of coins issued from each country.
Austria, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, San Marino and the Vatican City have issue date stipulations.
Sammarinese and Vatican euro coins are minted in Italy and follow the issue date stipulation.
Of the fifteen members of the Eurozone at the time these recommendations were made, five national designs—those of Austria, Belgium, Finland, Germany and Greece—did not meet the criteria outlined.
The Coinage Act of Luxembourg stipulates that national coins cannot have a date stamp prior to the year of issue.
Monegasque euro coins are produced by Monnaie de Paris, in Pessac, France beginning in 2001 and thus bear the mint master mark of Gérard Buquoy, Serge Levet, Hubert Larivière and Yves Sampo Directors of the Mint from 2001–2002, 2003, 2004–2010 and 2011–present respectively.
For example, all eight motives of the common reverse sides of the euro coins bear the stylised initials "LL" for Luc Luycx.
Some of these edge inscriptions are carried over from the coins of the yielded currencies in circulation prior to the introduction of the euro.
Generally the edge inscription of a €2 commemorative coin does not change from the standard issue counterpart.