Andorran Euro Coins
Andorra has a monetary agreement with the EU allowing it to make the euro its official currency, and permitting it to
issue euro coins as early as 1 July 2013. The country did not have an official currency prior to adopting the euro, and
unlike its two larger neighbours, France and Spain, which surround it, it is not a member of the EU. However it de facto
used the EU's euro (the currency of the Eurozone states) as it had historically used the French franc and Spanish peseta.
When those two currencies were replaced by the euro in 2002, the euro replaced the franc and peseta as the sole circulating
currency in Andorra.
In 2014, Andorra will issue 70.000 collector euro sets that will include all the circulating euro coins of the country,
produced in Spain and France. During this first year, the country will strike a total of 271.600 out of a planned
2,4 million coins. Moreover, the Andorran Government announced its intention to issue a 2 euro commemorative coin
that will also be released in 2014.
On May 16, 2013, Andorra revealed the winners of the national competition for the design of the euro coins. The smallest
denomination 1, 2 and 5 cents include the image of a chamois and the winner of the competition in this category was Ruben
da Silva. The designs of the 10, 20 and 50 cents were developed by the design company Moles Disseny and depict(ed) the
tower of the church of St. Martin in Cortina, and a portrait of St. Martin of Tours. The highest denominations of 1 and
2 euro coins shown the coat of arms of Andorra and Casa de la Vall ("House of the valleys") respectively.
In August 2013, Andorra released a new image for the
10, 20 and 50 cent coins, depicted a completely different theme.
It is assumed that the original designs were not accepted, because the portrait of St. Martin of Tours resembled Jesus
Christ, and were replaced with the image of the Romanesque church of Santa Coloma.
The coins will be minted in Spain and France for a total of 6,480,000 pieces:
- 400.000 pieces of 2 euro coins
- 580.000 pieces of 1 euro coins
- 500.000 pieces of 50 cents coins
- 1.000.000 pieces of 20 cents coins
- 1.000.000 pieces of 10 cents coins
- 1.000.000 pieces of 5 cents coins
- 1.000.000 pieces of 2 cents coins
- 1.000.000 pieces of 1 cents coins
The Andorran 2 euro coin edge inscription
| Edge |
|---|
 |
| |
| "VIRTUS UNITA FORTIOR" (United Virtue is stronger) |