On 10th December, the Bank of Estonia issued a 2 euro commemorative coin, dedicated to the 30^th anniversary of the EU Flag. To commemorate this anniversary, coins of uniform design are jointly being issued by all nineteen countries which have adopted the euro, each of them indicating their country on their own coin.  

These commemorative coins are to be legal tender throughout the euro area.

The common side of the coin is the same as on the circulation 2 euro coins. The other side features the European flag, surrounded by human silhouettes, in the centre. This design was selected by EU residents by voting online. They could vote for one of five versions selected by a commission of professionals from 62 works presented. The winning coin received 30 per cent of the vote; its author is the engraver Georgios Stamatopoulos from the Bank of Greece.

The European flag features a circle of 12 gold stars on a blue background. They stand for the ideals of unity, solidarity and harmony between the peoples of Europe. In 1985, the flag was adopted by all EU leaders as the official emblem of the European Communities, later to become the European Union.

Up to now, all euro area countries have jointly issued 3 commemorative coins:  a coin to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome in 2007, a coin to celebrate the 10^thanniversary of the Economic and Monetary Union in 2009, and a coin to commemorate ten years of euro banknotes and coins in 2012. 

The Estonian commemorative 2 euro coins, dedicated to the 30^th anniversary of the EU Flag, were minted at the UAB Lithuanian Mint. The mintage of the coin is 350,000, including 3,500 of a higher (BU) quality in a numismatic package.

Weight: 8.50 g; diameter: 25.75 mm; width of edge: 2.20 mm

Metal: alloy of different metals (outer ring of copper-nickel alloy, in silver colour; central field in three layers of nickel-brass alloy, nickel and nickel-brass, in gold color)

Source of information: Bank of Estonia www.bankofestonia.info