As you may or may not know, before the introduction of the Euro, Spain conducted a trial run at the neighborhood of Churriana, Málaga. In order to do so, the Government through the State Society for the Transition to the Euro (a state agency created ad hoc), and with the acquiescence of the Spanish Congress, ordered the Spanish Royal Mint to mint a series of "Euro on Trial" coins, for instance:
In Numista, these coins used to be in the main section of the catalogue, now they are in Exonumia. I think that, (and the Spanish euro collectors mainly think so as well) given that they are coins from a currency that that has been backed by the Government, minted by the Spanish mint, and actually circulated, they are real coins. As such, they should be moved back to the main catalogue.
It seems that any coins minted prior to the introduction dated of 2002, are automatically listed under Exonumia.
Many countries have pre-euro coins listed in Exonumia.
If one country's coin are to be moved, then all other countries pre-Euro coins will also have to be moved.
The ones from Spain were legal tender in 1998 in Churriana, yes. They were backed by the Spanish Government, you could spend them there, and they were changed in banks, even. That's why these are clearly distinguishable from the other countries' trial coins.
On January 1, 1999, the euro was inaugurated in non-cash transactions in 11 countries (excluding Greece), and from January 1, 2002, this currency was introduced in cash in twelve EU countries (except Great Britain, Sweden and Denmark). On 1 July 2002, the national currencies of the 12 countries that joined the euro zone were finally withdrawn from circulation.
Quote: "rysiek"On January 1, 1999, the euro was inaugurated in non-cash transactions in 11 countries (excluding Greece), and from January 1, 2002, this currency was introduced in cash in twelve EU countries (except Great Britain, Sweden and Denmark). On 1 July 2002, the national currencies of the 12 countries that joined the euro zone were finally withdrawn from circulation.
This applies to all countries of the euro zone.
On a general basis, yes. But Churriana was a special case, again. These coins were legal tender and actually circulated for a few days in 1998 as a trial run.
Quote: "rysiek"According to me, all before 1 January 2002, it is Exonumia.
that is not true. Most countries started minting coins in 1999. So those countries have legal euros with the year 1999 in the catalog.
It's true that the first circulating euro coins bear the date 1999. The reason for this is that all countries that were in the first batch of the euro introduction on 1 jan 2002 started minting well ahead, purely for logistical reasons. In some countries, the mint laws prescribe that coins bear the date of the year in which they are minted, that's why some of them bear 1999 as a date.
Euro coins and notes did not start circulating until 1 jan 2002. Before that date, the euro did not exist as a cash currency in the tangible world (it existed digitally only).
If the Churriana euros circulated for a few days as a trial in Churriana, then I would say that that is not enough to consider them 'circulating issues' or legal tender, just probes at best.
Interesting discussion ... Which leads me to my question.
If Belgium, Finland, France, Netherlands and Spain minted Euro coins dated 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 all before the Euro commencement date of 1/1/2002 does that mean they issued all the different years at the same time?
That is on the 1st of January 2002 if you went to a bank or shop you could get coins from any one of those four different years?
Cheers Mike
Master Referee - See my profile for what I collect.
Quote: "brismike"That is on the 1st of January 2002 if you went to a bank or shop you could get coins from any one of those four different years?
Yes.
As a matter of fact, every Dutch citizen got a (free!) coupon in the weeks preceding the euro introduction, which he could exchange against a 'get acquainted' kit in post offices, certain stores and gas stations, and these sets would typically have coins of different years.
Here are examples of these so called 'Zalmkits' (named after finance minister Zalm, who coined the idea; zalm also means 'saumon' in Dutch, which explains for the seemingly inappropriate images in the search result).
Quote: "Jarcek"Typical local coinage, they should be in tokens.
Private issued like-coin things must be in tokens, official issued coins must be in country sections. Nothing to do with local or national, neither with circulation or not.
These euros were official issued coins. The order to minted them was published by the Spanish government. Churriana was chosen as a laboratory by the government to see how the public would accept the euro.
Referee for Spain, Iberia (ancient), Suebi Kingdom and Visigothic Kingdom
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