Euro coins

The legal tender status of euro coins differs depending on their category:

• Ordinary coins and commemorative coins intended for circulation are legal tender throughout the euro area;
• Collector coins are legal tender solely in the territory of the issuing Member State. 

The discharging power of coins denominated in euro in any single payment is limited to the amount of 50 coins, with the exception of the State, Banco de Portugal and credit institutions. This limitation is due to the fact that coins are used as divisional currency or change.

There are three types of euro coins:

• Current coins
• Commemorative coins intended for circulation
• Collector coins