To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the European Union, euro-area countries will all issue this week a €2 coin showing the Piazza del Campidoglio in Rome where the Treaty of Rome was signed on 25 March 1957. This is the first time a coin will be issued by all euro-area members to commemorate the same event. It is thus the first time that a €2 coin with a common design on both sides will circulate throughout the euro area.

In total, the 13 euro-area countries will issue close to 90 million €2 coins, starting this week, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the European Union. The coin represents an open book – the Treaty – on a background of the paving of the Piazza del Campidoglio in Rome, where the Treaty was signed on 25 March 1957. The paving of the famous Piazza was designed by Michelangelo.

http://www.welcomeurope.com/default.asp?id...amp;idnews=3779

More posts (almost 50 - how appropriate for the anniversary ) about these coins are here:

http://www.coinpeople.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=9194

Christian