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5 Cent Euro Coins



5 cent euro coins (€0.05) have a value of one twentieth of a euro and are composed of copper-covered steel. All coins have a common reverse side and country-specific national sides. The coin has been used since 2002 and was not redesigned in 2007 as was the case with the higher value coins.

History


The coin dates from 2002, when euro coins and banknotes were introduced in the 12 member eurozone and its related territories. The common side was designed by Luc Luycx, a Belgian artist who won a Europe-wide competition to design the new coins. The design of the 1 to 5 cent coins was intended to show the European Union's (EU) place in the world (relative to Africa and Asia) as opposed to the one and two euro coins showing the 15 states as one and the 10 to 50 cent coins showing separate EU states.

The national sides, then 15 (eurozone + Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican who could mint their own) were each designed according to national competitions, though to specifications which applied to all coins such as the requirement of including twelve stars (see euro coins for more). National designs were not allowed to change until the end of 2008, unless a monarch (who's portrait usually appears on the coins) dies or abdicates. This happened in Monaco and the Vatican City resulting in three new designs in circulation (the Vatican had an interim design until the new Pope was selected). National designs have seen some changes due to new rules stating that national designs should include the name of the issuing country (Finland and Belgium both do not show their name, and hence have made minor changes).

As the EU's membership has since expanded in 2004 and 2007, with further expansions envisaged, the common face of all euro coins from the value of 10 cent and above were redesigned in 2007 to show a new map. The 1 to 5 cent coins however did not change, as the highlighting of the old members over the globe was so faint it was not considered worth the cost. However new national coin designs were added in 2007 with the entry of Slovenia, in 2008 with Cyprus and Malta and Slovakia in 2009.

Design


Edge of all 5 cent coins
The coins are composed of copper-covered steel, with a diameter of 21.25 mm, a 1.67 mm thickness and a mass of 3.92 grams. The coins' edges are smooth. The coins have been used from 2002, though some are dated 1999 which is the year the euro was created as a currency, but not put into general circulation.

Obverse (common) side


The obverse was designed by Luc Luycx and displays a globe in the bottom left. The then-fifteen members of the EU are lightly highlighted and the northern half of Africa and the eastern half of Asia (including the Middle East) are shown. Six fine lines cut diagonally behind the globe from each side of the coin and have twelve stars at their ends (reflective of the flag of Europe). To the top left is a large number 5 followed, in smaller text, by the words "Euro Cent". The designers initials, LL, appear to the right of the globe.

Reverse (national) sides


The reverse side of the coin depends on the issuing country. All have to include twelve stars (in most cases a circle around the edge), the engravers initials and the year of issue. New designs also have to include the name or initials of the issuing country. The side cannot repeat the denomination of the coin unless the issuing country uses an alphabet other than Latin (currently, Greece and Austria are the only such countries, hence Greece engraves "5 ΑΕΠΤΑ" upon their coins).



Planned designs



Austria, Germany and Greece will also at some point need to update their designs to comply with guidelines stating they must include the issuing state's name or initial, and not repeat the denomination of the coin.

In addition, there are several EU states that have not yet adopted the euro, some of them have already agreed upon their coin designs however it is not know exactly when they will adopt the currency, and hence these are not yet minted. See enlargement of the Eurozone for expected entry dates of these countries.


File:Eurocoin.ee.s1.005.jpg | Estonia: A map of Estonia.
File:1centlithuanian.jpg | Lithuania: The ''Vytis'', the Coat of arms of Lithuania.
File:Latvian 5, 2 and 1 cent coin design.JPG | Latvia: Lesser Coat of arms of Latvia.


Nicknames


In the Netherlands, the coin carries the nickname stuiver, carried over from the previous currency. The three copper coins are also nicknamed koper, ros or rostjes in Flemish.


Source: Wikipedia