The coins will be gradually brought into circulation in the same way as regular issue coins.

In addition, special sets of €2 coins appear annually, containing €2 regular issue coins from the Federal states coin series from each of the five mints. The sets are only available from the German Sales Agency for Collector's Coins, in both mint condition and proof-like finish.

Sets of €2 coins containing regular issue coins jointly issued by all the euro-area countries (2007 – 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, 2009 – tenth anniversary of European Economic and Monetary Union, 2012 – ten years of euro cash), and the €2 coin issued jointly with France in 2013 (50th anniversary of the signing of the Elysée Treaty) are available only in proof-like finish from the German Sales Agency for Collector’s Coins.

The €2 commemorative coins are also included in the sets of regular issue coins of all five German mints, which can be obtained in both mint condition and proof-like finish from the German Sales Agency for Collector’s Coins.

The starter kits were distributed by the national monetary authorities of the respective countries. However, it is likely that the starter kits of all the participating member states can now be obtained only from commercial coin dealers.

The €2 commemorative coins are legal tender in all euro-area countries, unlike the commemorative euro coins, which are more valuable and are legal tender only in the member state where they were issued.

In accordance with European agreements, the Federal Government of Germany decided to have an additional €2 commemorative coin minted each year with a different national motif on the reverse side.

The federal state coin series, which consists of a total of 16 different €2 commemorative coins, each bearing a unique symbol or building specific to the respective state, was inspired by the rotating presidency of the Bundesrat.

Moreover, on 25 March 2007 all of the euro-area countries issued a commemorative coin to mark the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome and on 1 January 2009 they issued a commemorative coin to celebrate the 10th anniversary of European Economic and Monetary Union, each with a common motif. Moreover, at the initiative of the European Commission, a €2 commemorative coin with a unique motif celebrating "10 years of euro banknotes and coins" was issued by all the member states of the euro area on 2 January 2012 to mark the tenth anniversary of the introduction of euro banknotes and coins.
The revision of the European regulations on the issuance of euro coins in 2012 allows the Federal Government to bring a second €2 commemorative coin into circulation every year in addition to the issuance of coins as part of the Federal state series. On 22 January 2013, France and Germany put a €2 commemorative coin into circulation to mark the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Elysée Treaty.

The Bundesbank's task is to put a sufficient amount of payment media into circulation. It does not engage in the trading of coins and does not maintain stocks of coins with specific mintmarks and mint years for the purposes of supplying collectors and other interested parties . A special outlet (Official Sales Agency for Collector's Coins of the Federal Republic of Germany) was set up for this suppose by the Federal Ministry of Finance in Weiden.

The above-mentioned agency sells euro collector coins with a proof finish and German euro coin series (1 cent to €2) with a normal finish and a proof finish. Starter kits and other member countries' coin series in circulation are not included in the range of coins available. To obtain such coins, please contact the national monetary authority concerned or a commercial coin dealer. You can find the address below.

You can find a current list of all of the €2 commemorative coins that have been issued by all of the member states on the website of the European Central Bank.

All €10 collector coins minted in Germany up to the end of 2010 are made of sterling silver (92.5% silver and 7.5% copper).

In October 2010, the Federal Ministry of Finance, the body responsible for coin issuance in Germany, decided, due to the increasing price of silver, to reduce the silver content of €10 collector coins beginning with the 2011 year of issue from 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper (sterling silver) to 62.5% silver and 37.5% copper. This applied to both the standard finish and the more valuable proof-like finish.

In April 2011, given the continued increase in the price of silver, the Federal Ministry of Finance decided that, beginning with the €10 collector coin marking "125 years of the automobile", the standard finish coins would, in future, be made of a cupronickel alloy (CuNi25). The coins with the more valuable proof-like finish are still minted in an alloy compraising 62.5% silver and 37.5% copper. In order to distinguish between the two finishes, the silver content of the coins with a proof-like finish is stated on the reverse side ("silver 625"). The end of 2015 will see the switchover from the German €10 collector coins to the €20 nominal value.

Yes. The file below contains a list of the orders that have been planned or placed for the minting of €10 collector coins in the Federal Republic of Germany.

Images and descriptions of the €10 collector coins can be found on the website of the German Sales Agency for Collector's Coins.

From 2016, the new €20 coins in both mint condition and with a proof-like finish will be made of 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper. Coins in mint condition will be available at the nominal value of €20. The issue price of coins with a proof-like finish will be higher than the nominal value. The new €20 coins will weigh 18 grams and have a diameter of 32.5 millimetres.

The first €20 coin will depict "Little Red Riding Hood" from the Brothers Grimm fairy tale series and is expected to be issued in February 2016.

Yes. The file below contains a list of the orders that have been planned or placed for the minting of €20 collector coins in the Federal Republic of Germany.

Images and descriptions of the €20 collector coins can be found on the website of the German Sales Agency for Collector's Coins.

With the exception of the €2 commemorative coins, which are official legal tender in all euro-area member states, all European collector coins are legal tender only in the respective country of issue. Thus, German collector coins are legal tender only in Germany.

In 2010, the Federal Ministry of Finance began to issue a series of €20 (gold) collector coins on the theme of “German forests”. The series consists of six motifs, which were issued from 2010 to 2015. From 2016, a series of €20 (gold) collector coins on the theme of “native birds” is planned, which is set to span several years.

The coins in both series are made of fine gold (99.99% Au), weigh 3.8879 grams (⅛ ounce) and have a diameter of 17.5 millimetres. Images and descriptions of the €20 (gold) collector coins can be found on the website of the Münze Deutschland.

These coins are brought into circulation by the Münze Deutschland, and can be purchased from this agency through a special ordering procedure. The Deutsche Bundesbank is not involved in the sale of these coins.

The file below contains an overview of the orders that have been planned or placed for the minting of €20 (gold) collector coins in the Federal Republic of Germany.

To mark the introduction of euro cash, the German government had €100 and €200 collector coins (99.99% pure gold) weighing half an ounce (nominal value €100) and 1 ounce (nominal value €200) minted. 500,000 €100 coins were minted (100,000 coins for each of the mints A, D, F, G and J); 100,000 €200 collector coins were produced (20,000 coins per mint). The coins were brought into circulation on 9 May 2002.

From 2003, over a period of several years, the German Federal Ministry of Finance issued a series of €100 collector coins on the theme of UNESCO world heritage sites in Germany. The coins are made of fine gold (99.99% Au) and weigh 15.55g (half an ounce).

Images and descriptions of the €100 and €200 collector coins can be found on the website of the German Sales Agency for Collector's Coins.

These coins are brought into circulation by the German Sales Agency for Collector's Coin, and can be purchased from this agency through a special ordering procedure. The Deutsche Bundesbank plays no part in bringing the coins into circulation.

The file below contains an overview of the € 20, 100 and 200 collector coins that have been minted or are scheduled to be minted in the Federal Republic of Germany.

Please refer to the question “Are there any regulations restricting the amount of euro coins to be accepted when making a payment?” in the frequently asked questions about the euro coins. 

Moreover, euro collector coins have the status of legal tender only in the issuing country. There is no legal claim to be able to pay with these euro collector coins in any country other than the issuer.