This year's BU set from Malta contains a full set of Maltese euro coins and the 2 euro commemorative coin dedicated to the Temples of Hagar Qim.
Ħaġar Qim (Standing/Worshipping Stones) is a megalithic temple complex found on the Mediterranean island of Malta, dating from the Ġgantija phase (3600-3200 BC). The Megalithic Temples of Malta are among the most ancient religious sites on Earth, described by the World Heritage Sites committee as "unique architectural masterpieces." In 1992 UNESCO recognized Ħaġar Qim and four other Maltese megalithic structures as World Heritage Sites.
Malta has been a member of the European Union since 1 May 2004, and is a member of the Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union. The selection of the designs of the coins was decided by public consultation in two rounds. The first round of the consultation process started on January 14, 2006 and ended on January 29, 2006. During this period the Maltese public could participate in the process by choosing from a total of 12 options, divided into 4 design themes - Prehistoric Malta, Renaissance Malta, The Maltese Identity and The Maltese Archipelago and three different options were presented for each theme. |