European Currency Unit (ECU) coins catalog

European Currency Unit (1979-1998)

ECU replaced the European Unit of Account on January 1, 1981, and until 1998 was the artificial currency of the EEC (since 1993 of the European Union), when it was replaced by the euro. ECU was the basis for all financial transactions between the countries of the European Economic Community. The value of the ECU was calculated by means of a “currency basket” consisting of an index of the currencies of the member states of the EEC in accordance with the economic importance of each country.
Belgium minted gold and silver coins with ECU denominations and the possibility of exchange for francs at the current exchange rate.
France minted from 1990 to 1995 some commemorative coins with double denominations - 100 francs / 15 ECU (silver) and 500 francs / 75 ECU (gold).
Malta issued in 1993 a series of coins "430 years of the Battle of Lepanto" (the defeat of the Ottoman Empire fleet by the forces of the Catholic League - the unification of the Christian states of Western Europe) with a double denomination: 1 lira (pound) / 2 ECU (copper-nickel alloy), 5 lira / 10 ECU (silver) and 25 lire / 55 ECU (gold).
In all other cases, ECU coins were souvenirs (unusual) and were not considered legal tender.

 

Germany

coin Germany 1 ecu 1992
1 ecu 1992
copper-nickel
DEUTSCHLAND ECU EUROPA
EINIGKEIT RECHT FREIHEIT / 1992
Value - $3-5

 

coin Germany 1 ecu 1993
1 ecu 1993
copper-nickel
BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND ECU / 1993
EUROPA
Value - $5-7

 

 

Gibraltar

coin Gibraltar 2.8 ecu 1993
2.8 ecu 1993
copper-nickel
2.8 ECUS / EUROTUNNEL ENGLAND FRANCE GIBRALTAR
ELIZABETH II GIBRALTAR 1993
Value - $4-6

 

 

Luxembourg

coin Luxembourg 5 ecu 1992
5 ecu 1992
copper-nickel
40th Anniversary of the European Parliament
1992 / 40 ANS PARLEMENT EUROPÉEN / LUXEMBOURG / 5 ECU
CHARLES IV COMPTE DE LUXEMBOURG ROI DE BOHÊME EMPEREUR DU SAINT EMPIRE GERMANIQUE / 1316-1378
Value - $6-8

 

coin Luxembourg 5 ecu 1993
5 ecu 1993
copper-nickel
Joseph Bech (Luxembourgish politician and lawyer)
LËTZEBUERG 5 ECU 1993
GRAND-DUCHE DE LUXEMBOURG / JOSEPH BECH 1887 1975
Value - $4-6

 

 

Netherlands

coin Netherlands 10 ecu 1991
10 ecu 1991
copper-nickel
Erasmus of Rotterdam
DE NEDERLANDEN 10 ECU 1991
....ME VELLE CIVEM ESSE TOTIUS MUNDI NON UNIUS OPPIDI / ERASNUS
Value - $5-7

 

coin Netherlands 10 ecu 1992
10 ecu 1992
copper-nickel
King Willem I Frederik (1815-1840)
DE NEDERLANDEN 10 ECU 1992
...UITBREIDING VAN HET VERKEER MET ALLE VOLKEN... KONING WILLEM I
Value - $5-7

 

coin Netherlands 10 ecu 1993
10 ecu 1993
copper-nickel
Jan Leeghwater (1575-1650, Dutch millwright and hydraulic engineer)
DE NEDERLANDEN 10 ECU 1993
EXPERIENTIA DOCET LEEGHWATER
Value - $5-7

 

coin Netherlands 10 ecu 1993
10 ecu 1993
copper-nickel
Maastricht Treaty
DE NEDERLANDEN 10 ECU 1993
MAASTRICHT / E
Value - $5-7

 

 

coin Netherlands 2.5 ecu 1990
2.5 ecu 1990
copper-nickel
650 Years from the Berth of Geert Groote (Gerardus Magnus, a Dutch Catholic deacon)
DE NEDERLANDEN 2 1/2 ECU 1990
GEERT GROOTE / GERARD ZERBOLT VAN ZUTPHEN / HÆCARMA STRENUITAS SEVERITAS BENIGNITAS
Value - $3-5

 

coin Netherlands 2.5 ecu 1991
2.5 ecu 1991
copper-nickel
75th International Four Days Marches Nijmegen
DE NEDERLANDEN 2 1/2 ECU 1991
75E INT. VIERDAAGSE / NIJMEGEN
Value - $3-5

 

coin Netherlands 2.5 ecu 1991
2.5 ecu 1991
copper-nickel
Arnhem
DE NEDERLANDEN 2 1/2 ECU 1991
ARNHEM EURO-STAD AAN DE RIJN
Value - $3-5

 

coin Netherlands 2.5 ecu 1991
2.5 ecu 1991
copper-nickel
Erasmus of Rotterdam
DE NEDERLANDEN 2 1/2 ECU 1991
....ME VELLE CIVEM ESSE TOTIUS MUNDI NON UNIUS OPPIDI / ERASNUS
Value - $3-5

 

coin Netherlands 2.5 ecu 1991
2.5 ecu 1991
copper-nickel
Wedding Silver Jubilee of queen Beatrix and prince Claus
DE NEDERLANDEN 2 1/2 ECU 1991
10-3-1991 ZILVEREN HUWELIJK KONINGIN BEATRIX EN PRINS CLAUS / EENKEUS VANHERTHART...
Value - $3-5

 

coin Netherlands 2.5 ecu 1992
2.5 ecu 1992
copper-nickel
King Willem I Frederik (1815-1840)
DE NEDERLANDEN 2 1/2 ECU 1992
...UITBREIDING VAN HET VERKEER MET ALLE VOLKEN... KONING WILLEM I
Value - $3-5

 

coin Netherlands 2.5 ecu 1995
2.5 ecu 1995
copper-nickel
50th Anniversary of Liberation
KONINKRIJK DER NEDERLANDEN 1995 2 1/2 ECU
BEVRIJDING BETE KENT HET HER LEVEN VAN ALLE VRIJ HEDEN / WILHELMINA
Value - $4-6

 

coin Netherlands 2.5 ecu 1995
2.5 ecu 1995
copper-nickel
350 Years from the death of Hugo Grotius (Dutch humanist)
KONINKRIJK DER NEDERLANDEN 1995 2 1/2 ECU
GROTIUS 1583-1645
Value - $5-7

 

 

coin Netherlands 2 ecu 1995
2 ecu 1995
copper-nickel
Amsterdam Sail Manifestation
KONINKRIJK DER NEDERLANDEN 1995 2 ECU
SAIL 95 AMSTERDAM
Value - $8-10

 

 

Portugal

coin Portugal 2.5 ecu 1991
2.5 ecu 1991
copper-nickel
Prince Henry the Navigator (1394-1460)
PORTUGAL 1991 2 1/2 ECU
EUROPA E OS NOVOS MUNDOS / HENRIQUE O NAVEGADOR
Value - $7-10

 

 

Sweden

coin Sweden 5 ecu 1994
5 ecu 1994
copper-nickel
800th Anniversary of Visby's membership in the Hanseatic League
800 YEARS HANSA VISBY / 5 ECU
SCHWEDEN SUEDE SVERIGE SWEDEN SVEZIA / 1994
Value - $8-10