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The Euro: a symbol

Of the European

Unity?

Parveen REMTOULA TS3 Marie LANDRIOT TS2

Morgane POUPARD TS2 Claire AMIOT TL

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Introduction: The idea of a European currency was born in the sixties. However; this idea

hadn’t been materialized before the beginning of the nineties with the Treaty of

Maastricht (in 1992). It set the Euro as one of the European Union’s economic goals:

the creation of a single and common currency for the member states of the Union,

which would replace the former national currencies of each country such as, for

instance the French “franc” or the Italian “Lira”. Then, in 1999, eleven founding

countries joined the euro zone: Germany, Austria, Spain, France, Portugal, Italy, the

Netherlands, Belgium, Finland, Ireland and Luxembourg. At first, the reluctance of

some of the countries belonging to the UE curbed the idea of the Euro, such as

Germany whose mark was ranked just after the dollar and the yen. Nevertheless,

banknotes and coins were finally in circulation in January 2002. After overcoming a

few obstacles, the euro has become in a decade a real symbol of the European unity

as well as the Ninth Symphony by Beethoven or the European flag. Today, in 2011,

seventeen countries are members of the euro zone. It represents more than 322

millions of inhabitants using the euro. What’s more, many European countries want

to join the euro zone such as Hungary, Bulgaria, and Romania… Because of that, it is

important to learn more about the symbolic of the currency. Indeed, the Euro is not

exactly the same for every country, the design can change depending on which

country made it. For example, the Euro made by France is not exactly the same as the

Euro made by Italy. That’s why we are going to analyse in a first part the euro as a

real symbol of a European unity and in a second part, we are going to see that it is

also a way to assert each country’s national identity.

In blue, the members of the euro zone

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I. The Euro as a symbol of unity 1) The banknotes

Euro banknote each are the same, they are a symbol of unity in Europe. In fact,

they represent a period in architecture which has united Europe. Every banknote has

a face representing the facade of a building and a bridge symbolizing a period of the

architecture’s History which has united Europe. It is spread over the European

history of architecture (for example, the classical architecture for the 5€ banknote).

It’s not representing some precise monuments; it’s inspired by some monuments of

the period; not to exclude any country, thus all the European countries can identify

their monuments as the one on the banknote. The façade of the buildings at the recto

symbolizes the open-mindedness and the European Union’s cooperation; over this

image we can see the twelve stars of the European flag which illustrate the harmony

of modern Europe. The bridge at the back of the banknote symbolizes the link which

unify European people together, with the rest of Europe and with the rest of the

world.

On the banknote we can also find the name of the currency in the Roman

writing style and in the Greek writing style, and the different initials of the European

bank the European citizen can find.

There are 7 different Euro banknotes and symbols we can see on it:

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The 5€ banknote represents the classical architecture. This type of architecture was created by

the Roman Empire and Greek people during the Antiquity. (for example, the Tholos temple

which is the sanctuary of Athena in Delphi in Greece)

The 10€ banknote represents the Romanesque period. This is is an architectural style

of Medieval Europe. The Romanesque period lasted approximately from 800 A.D. to 1100

A.D. (For example, the cathedral of Lisbon, in Portugal)

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The 20€ Banknote symbolise the Gothic architecture. This is the evolution of the Romanesque

architecture. It is also called “the French style” as it came from France. It started in the 12th

century and it ended in the 16th century (for example, The Reims cathedral in France).

The 50€ Banknote is the symbol of the Renaissance period. This style emerged because people

wanted to come back to something simpler than in classical architecture after the gothic period

which was more complicated. (for example, The Dome of St Peter's Basilica, Rome)

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For the 100€ Banknote, the period represented is baroque and rococo. The baroque style is

opposed to the classical style; the classical style is made of straight line whereas the baroque is

made of curves. The rococo architecture is the continuation of the baroque style (for example,

Augustusburg Palace near Cologne for the baroque style and the Rococo Basilica at

Ottobeuren in Bavaria for the rococo style).

The 200€ Banknote show the architectural period called “iron and glass architecture”. This

architectural period refers to the Victorian Era and to the industrial period. At that time, the

architects used a lot of iron for the construction. (For example, the Eiffel tower in Paris in

France)

The 500€ Banknote is the symbol of the modern architecture. This is today’s architecture.

The 500€ Banknote will probably soon disappear because it is not often used.

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2) The coins’ common faces

Although in 1992 the Treaty of Maastricht set the Euro as the common currency between the member states of the European Union part of the Euro zone, it’s in 1996 in Verona, four years later, that the characteristics of the future European coins were decided by the Economic and Finance Ministers in the bosom of the EcoFin. According to the wish of the majority, they agreed that only one of the faces of the coins would be common while the other one would let the national diversities express themselves. That’s how the first eight different coins were created to circulate all around Europe : the two euro coin, the one euro, the fifty cent, the twenty cent, the five cent, the two cent and the one cent ones. On these common faces, we can see different designs reminding us of the unity of

Europe.

The first common faces

2 euros Common face

1999-2007

1 euro Common face

1999-2007

This coin has a diameter of

25.75 mm and a thickness of

2.20 mm, that’s why it’s the

heaviest coin with a mass of

8.50 g. It’s composed of a ring of

cupro-nickel on the outside and

of three layers on the inside of

which two are nickel-brass and

one is nickel. Also, its edge is

engraved with fine grooves.

This coin has a diameter of

23.25 mm, a thickness of 2.33

mm, and a mass of 7.50 g. It’s

composed of a ring of nickel-

brass on the outside and of

three layers on the inside of

which two are cupro-nickel

and one is nickel. Also, its

edge is either engraved with

fine grooves or either smooth.

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Indeed, on the coins above there are two designs symbolizing the unity of the

European Union as an illustration of Europe only representing the member states

belonging to the euro zone on the right side for the one and two euro coins and on

the left side for the fifty, twenty and ten cents coins. Moreover, on all these shekels,

on both sides of “Europe”, six stars are linked to the six others just like the stars on

the European flag which is one of the official symbol of the European Union.

The fifty cents coin’s

diameter is 24.25 mm

while its thickness is 2.38

mm, which explains why

it is slightly heavier than

the one euro coin: it

weighs 7.80 g. It has fine

scallops at the edge.

The twenty cents coin’s

diameter is 22.25 and it’s

lighter than the fifty cents coin

with a thickness of 2.14 mm

and a mass of 5.74 g. This

coin is special because of its

form which is not rounded

such as the others coins but

rather one called “Spanish

flower” because of the seven

indents at the edge.

The ten cents coin’s

diameter is 19.75 mm

while its thickness is

1.93 mm which

account for its mass of

4.10 g. Such as the

fifty cents coin, it has

fine scallops at the

edge.

10 cents Common face

1999-2007

20 cents Common face

1999-2007

50 cents Common face

1999-2007

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All the five, two and one cent coins have the same thickness: 1.67 mm and are all

made of copper plated steel. Furthermore, they all represent the same thing : a view

of the Earth with Europe between Africa and Asia as a way to convey the situation of

the European Union in the world with the same star design asq the one on the other

coins. Nevertheless, these three sorts of coins can be differentiated thanks to their

edge which is plain except from the two cent coin.

The European flag and its twelve stars

1 cent Common face

1999-...

2 cents Common face

1999-...

5 cents Common face

1999-...

The five cents coin

has a diameter of

21.25 mm for a

mass of 3.92 g.

The two cents coin has

a diameter of 18.75 mm

for a mass of 3.06 g.

The one cent coin has a

diameter of 16.25 mm

for a mass of 2.30 g

which makes it the

smallest and lightest

coin of this currency.

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The little differences like the thickness, the diameter or the edge of these coins

may not seem important but it was a topic of debate in the EcoFin which is the

reason why it took four years for all the members and other associations to agree on

these characteristics. Moreover, for partially sighted persons it is the only characteristics

that can allow them to have landmarks and thus to tell coins apart and not be hampered by

what is supposed to represent modernism and future within Europe, or at least the European

Union.

Nonetheless, as time went by, many other countries joined the Euro zone and

the designs on the fifty, twenty and ten cents coins became obsolete as they only

represented the first euro zone members. Furthermore, in the first type of coins, the

countries were parted which didn’t really suit the idea of a European unity. It was

thus necessary to modify these shekels, which permitted, in 2007, that these new

coins came into circulation. However, the number or the place of the stars on the

coins remained unchanged.

The current common faces

2 euros Common face

2007-...

1 euro Common face

2007-...

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50 cents Common face

2007-...

20 cents Common face

2007-...

10 cents Common face

2007-...

Today, the Euro coins haven’t changed since then and have become a part of the

European citizens’ life, nineteen years after the idea of a common currency was born

in 1992.

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II. The Euro: a symbol of the European diversity

Many European countries now use the Euro, so it can be considered as a

symbol of unity between the members of the European Union. However, the Euro

isn’t use by all the members of the Union, some countries such as Great Britain or

Sweden still keep their national money (the Pound and the Krona (Swedish Crown))

and refuse to adopt the Euro. So, the Euro, which is, at first sight, a symbol of the

unity of the European Union is also a proof of its internal-divisions.

We can also notice that the Euro coins are not exactly the same in each

European country. Indeed, if one of the coins’ faces is the same in the entire Euro

zone, the other side is completely different depending on the country. Why did the

European Union decide to create coins with different faces? Is it only a way to have

many differences in the coin’s design in an artistic goal? Or a way to assert each

country’s identity? To highlight the differences between countries which still exist in

spite of their Union? To show to Europe and to the World elements which can bring

pride to the country? Or, even a kind of propaganda for the regime of the country,

for instance? Anyway, these differences between the European countries’ coins are a

symbol of the divisions or at least the diversities which still exist within the Union.

So we are going to study the different kinds of images engraved on the

national coin’s face. In a first part we will see the national symbols, then the artistic

works or the monuments sometimes drawn on the coins and finally the personalities

represented.

(Some other European countries (Monaco, Vatican, and San Marino) have

their own Euro coins. However, because they don’t belong to the European Union,

we aren’t going to study them)

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1) National symbols

Some countries decided to use national symbols on their coins. Indeed, it’s a way to

keep a bit of diversity inside the European Union.

These symbols are sometimes historic as for Austria where we can see the

Belvedere Palace on the € 0, 20. In 1955, a treaty was signed to re-establish the

sovereignty of the country. Today, it’s a symbol of freedom, and at the same time, a

symbol of one of the most beautiful baroque palaces in Austria.

€ 0, 20 Austrian coin

Germany decided to use historical symbol too. Indeed, the € 0, 10, € 0, 20 and € 0, 50

coins represent the Brandenburg Gate which used to be, a symbol a division of

Germany into two parts. It’s an important symbol because it’s related to the Second

World War. However, the Germans didn’t decide to use this coin as a way to remind

the war to each country, but as a way to show that they are open for unification with

the European Union (in fact, the door of the Brandenburg Gate is open on the coin).

€ 0,20 German coin

Portuguese € 0, 01 to € 0, 50 coins only represent a royal seal during the twentieth

century. Here it’s a way to remember the country’s past. These coins are a perfect

example to illustrate the volition of each country not to forget their own past without

the European Union. Nevertheless, € 1 and € 2 coins represent Portuguese castles and

coats of arms but it’s also a way to symbolise the exchange of values and the

dynamics of the European construction. Portugal has coins to remember its own past

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and then its identity, but it also has coins to hope for a future with the European

Union, and maybe at last a common History.

€ 1 Portuguese coin

Coins symbols can also be traditional symbols. For example, we can talk about

Ireland, which decided to use only the Celtic harp on all its coins. We can read the

word Eire which means Ireland in Irish and the year when coins were created. Using

a symbol which represent at the same time, a culture, a history and a tradition is a

perfect way to assert its own identity. This is maybe a choice to show that they are

European, but their culture is still different.

€ 1 Irish coin

It’s almost the same case for Germany even if, as we have just seen, they also have

symbols send to the European Union. On € 1 and € 2 coins, we can see the Eagle

which is a traditional symbol of German sovereignty. Finally, Germans decided to

strike a balance between their own tradition and history with the Eagle and a

common history with the Brandenburg Gate.

€ 1 German coin

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Eventually, the country which insists the most on its national symbols is

France. Indeed, on its € 0, 01 to € 0, 05 coins, we can see Marianne, symbol of the

French Republic, created during the French Revolution in the eighteenth century.

Marianne is really feminine and seems to be young and determined. At first sight, we

can think that is a way to assert its own tradition and history but it’s first of all sign

of hope for a strong and lasting European Union. On € 0, 10 to € 0, 50 coins, we can

recognize the sower which was a constant of the French “franc”. But the coin has a

new design to stress on the fact that France really wants to integrate the European

Union. That’s a new example which illustrates the volition of some countries such as

France not to forget the European motto “Unity in Diversity”. They keep their own

identity but they want to build a common future with others countries members of

the European Union.

€ 0, 20 French coin

At last, France doesn’t only have coins which show that it’s a member of the

European Union. Indeed, on its € 1 and € 2 coins, there is a tree, which symbolises

life, growth and continuity. This tree is inside a hexagon, which has the same form as

France territory. What’s more, France chose to use its motto “Liberté, Egalité,

Fraternité” in order to remind its people of it.

€ 1 French coin

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2) Artistic coins’ faces When we look at our Euro coins, we can notice than on the national side of

many of them, artistic or craft works are represented. Among these symbols we can

find famous paintings, sculptures, drawings or great monuments.

Some countries have decided to use many art symbols such as Italy which

has chosen to adorn all its coins with artistic or architectural masterpieces from the

Italian culture.

Most of the Italian coins represent paintings made by famous Italian

painters such as Da Vinci or for the €0.10 coin Botticelli with The Birth of Venus, one

of his best-known works and also a symbol of the Renaissance, the artistic movement

which has spread since the XIVth century through Europe. Others were engraved

with the representation of sculptures created by artists like Boccioni.

€0.10 Italian coin

The one, two and five cents coins bear the representation of famous

monuments such as the Coliseum of Rome, the largest amphitheatre ever built in the

Roman Empire.

€0.05 Italian coin

We can wonder why Italy has decided to chose only works of art to engrave

on their coins. Maybe, it is a way to emphasize the importance of the country in the

European artistic culture. Indeed, Italy is considered as the birthplace of many great

artists, masterpieces and even artistic movements (such as the Renaissance).

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However it can also be a means to insist on the importance of Arts and more

generally of culture in Europe.

Indeed, nowadays, one of the Europe’s wealth is its culture and many tourists

come to this continent only to see its monuments, its museums and masterpieces.

Perhaps, seeing these masterpieces on the coins we use everyday can remind us the

luck we have to own such a rich culture, not to forget our heritage…

Several other members of the European Union have also decided to chose, to

adorn their coins, famous monuments of their country and we can notice that among

these architectural works, many are religious monuments.

It shows the strong links which exist in Europe between arts and religion.

Indeed, many artworks, particularly old ones, are based on religion, have a religious

topic or were made to adorn shrines.

For instance, we can observe cathedrals on the national faces of the €0.01, €0.02

and €0.05 Spanish’s coins, which represents the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela,

one of the most important pilgrimage’s places in Europe, and on the ten cents

Austrian coin, where the famous St Stephen’s Cathedral of Vienna is drawn.

€0.05 Spanish coin

€0.10 Austrian coin

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Finland has chosen a drawing to adorn its one euro coin. This drawing made

by Perti Maekinen and representing two swans flying away symbolizes the

independence of the country. This coin is a proof of the links between arts and

important events in the history. Other coins are representing artworks linked with

their countries’ history such as the Brandenburg Gate represented on the German

coins.

€1 Finish coin

Greece has also decided to engrave fragments of its history on its €0.01, €0.02,

€0.05 by representing former and recent Greek boats but also with its €1 coin. Indeed,

this coin was drawn as the former Athenian currency (the drachma) was made with,

on the national side, an owl as symbol for Athena, Athens’ patron goddess. Such a

choice can be justified by the fact that drachma corresponds to the period of the

heyday of Athens and of Greek culture, by extension. It’s a sort of reminder of

Greece’s former power but also, maybe of the roots of democracy: this value shared

by all the members of the European Union was born in Ancient Greece.

€1 Greek coin

This choice could also be regarded as a way to keep links, with this drawing,

between the new and the former currency…

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3) Personalities represented

Sometimes, countries have chosen important personalities to represent their

territory on coins. All these personalities have had an impact on the culture or in the

history and policy of the country.

Some countries have decided to choose people who have participated in the

construction of the country’s culture. It’s for example the case of Austria which has

chosen Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a famous composer during the eighteenth

century. He was a genius and today almost everyone knows one of his music

compositions. It may be a pride for Austria, that’s why they have decided to choose

him.

€ 1 Austrian coin

Spain has decided to choose a famous writer, Miguel de Cervantes qualified as

the father of Spanish Literature during the sixteenth century. His most famous novel

is Don Quixote. Almost every European has heard of this novel. As for Austria, he is

a national pride known in every European country.

€ 0, 20 Spanish coin

However, most countries have decided to represent people who have had an

impact on which policy or on history. Sometimes, as for Belgium, Spain,

Luxembourg, and Netherlands, these people are none other than Kings, Duke or

Queen still in function today. They represent the country; in some ways they are a

national symbol. What’s more, concerning Queen Beatrix, she has received a price in

1996 to reward her efforts in the European unification.

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€ 1 Dutch coin

Greece has chosen people who had an impact on the policy in the past. These

people didn’t have a direct link with other European countries. Here again it’s a way

for Greece to assert its own identity and its own history, a wealthy history. On the €

0, 10 coins, we can see Rigas-Fereos, a forerunner and a leading figure of the Greek

enlightenment. On the € 0, 20 coins, one other important political figure: Ioannis

Capodistrias. He was the first governor of Greece in 1830 just after the Greek

Independence War. At last, Eleftherios Venizelos was a pioneer of social reforms in

Greece during the end of the nineteenth century. He has also played a key role in

modernising the Greek state. All these men have tried to make Greece make strides

and it’s maybe a way for this country never to forget that it is because of great men

that it’s still here today with a democracy.

€ 0, 20 Greek coin

Finally, Austria also has an important personality, who symbolizes peace. This

person is Bertha von Suttner, a radical pacifist who illustrates Austria’s efforts over

many decades to support peace. That’s how we can see that each country wants to

come and join the European Union with its own history. They don’t want to let it and

to forget it. For example, Austria will always remember that it had to fight in the past

to preserve peace. Today, this country wants to let every others European countries

know through its coins.

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€ 2 Austrian coin

Certainly, all the European euro coins are different, but we can say that, more

than a way to stay apart from the European Union, it is a means to allow each

country to appropriate the Euro. Indeed, it’s easy to convince so many countries to

forsake their own currency in favour of a new one which represents almost an entire

continent and not the country. Thus, having their own symbols on the coins maybe

helped the European countries adopt this new European currency without

completely abandoning their economic national identity. We are Europeans but we

have also a native and independent country that we don’t and won’t forget.

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Conclusion :

Through all this report, we've been trying to find out whether this single and

common currency, that is the Euro, has contributed to gather some of the member

states of the European Union under the Europe Flag or whether it has brought up the

inner differences that those states have been trying to put aside in order to protect

peace. Searching for an answer, we came to realize that both of them were a reality:

the Euro is at the same time a symbol of unity and a symbol of diversity. Indeed, its

banknotes and coins' common faces are the embodiment of everything that has

united the European countries through all the eras but they are also a way to define

each specific culture of each European country thanks to the national faces of the

coins. Thus, the Euro is a living illustration of the European Union motto: "Unity in

diversity". Nevertheless, it can also be linked to an even older European symbol: the

myth of Europa. In fact, the euro sign (€) comes from the first Greek letter of the

word "Europe" which is said to come from the myth of Europa. According to the

Greek mythology, Europe was a beautiful princess, who was abducted by Zeus,

brought to Crete, and who gave birth to three sons – Minos, Rhadamanthys, and

Sarpedon, who all became judges on the Underworld. Zeus was the father of all the

children of Europe but he asked her to marry Asterion, the king of stars. Starting off

as a mortal woman in Greek Mythology, Europe became immortal after her name

was given to the continent. One legend says that Europe had a dream one night in

which two women – actually two continents –were arguing. One of them, Asia,

believed that Europe belonged to Asia, since she was born there. The other one with

no name -Europe - said Zeus would give the name to her. And that's how the

continent became what it is now : Europe.

Europa on the back of Zeus transformed in a white bull to seduce her

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presentation-et-symboles-3862.htm

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euro.html

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