Central Bank Unveils Layout of Slovenian Euro Coins
The Finance Ministry and the central bank unveiled on Friday the layout of Slovenia's euro coins, which are due to become legal tender on 1 January 2007. What mainly sets them apart from the euro coins of other countries is the inscription "Slovenija" running in the circle along the outer rim of the coin.
The two-euro coin will feature poet France Preseren, who is currently on the 1,000-tolar note, accompanied by a part of his manuscript of "Zdravljica" (A Toast), the Slovenian anthem.
The one-euro coin will have Primoz Trubar, the author of the first printed book in Slovenian, who is currently on the 10-tolar note, and a line of text from his work.
The 50-cent coin will feature Triglav (2,864m), Slovenia's highest mountain, two Lipizzaner horses will adorn the 20-cent coin, and the 10-cent coin the blueprint for the never constructed parliament building as proposed by architect Joze Plecnik.
The five-cent coin will depict the famous painting Sejalec (Sower) by impressionist painter Ivan Grohar, the five-cent coin will feature the landmark Prince's Stone, where they installed Karantania dukes in the 6th century, while the smallest coin, for one cent, will have a depiction of a stork.
The national sides for the coins have been designed by Miljenko Licul, Maja Licul and Janez Boljka, whose proposals were selected by a panel of experts. Miljenko Licul is also the author of the tolar notes and coins currently in circulation.
According to Finance Minister Andrej Bajuk, the drafts have already been presented to the sub-committee for coins at the EU Council for Economic and Financial Affairs.
Mitja Gaspari, the governor of the Bank of Slovenia, estimates that 230 million coins will have to be minted, worth a total of 80 million euros. The mint will be selected in a public tender.
If everything goes according to plan, the Slovenian coins will join 61 billion euro coins currently in circulation. They will replace the 508 million tolar coins.
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