Commemorative coins have the same features and properties as normal €2 coins. What makes them different is their commemorative design on the national side to commemorate special events or personalities of national and/or international importance.

Designing and issuing the coins is the competence of the individual euro area countries.

However, only the €2 denomination can be used for commemorative coins.

As a rule, euro area countries may each issue only two €2 commemorative coins per year.

Exceptionally, they are allowed to issue a third, provided that it is one issued jointly and that it commemorates events of Europe-wide importance.

These coins use a common design on the national side, showing the name of the issuing country as well as the event commemorated in the respective language(s).

Acceptance as means of payment

Commemorative coins are legal tender throughout the euro area, like any other normal coin.

Similarly to normal coins, the discharging power of normal coins is limited to 50 units. This means that no party is obliged to accept more than 50 coins in any single payment, except for the State (via treasury offices), Banco de Portugal and deposit-taking credit institutions.

The quantity of coins available may be conditional on the stock levels.