2016-07-11 Mon

On 1st July, a new coin was officially introduced by Slovakia, signifying the rotating European Union presidency of the Council of Ministers that the country would hold, ever since it joined the E.U. in 2004. The European Council is a part of the E.U and handles the regulations of the council. The rotating position every six months ensures that newer members and more established countries get an opportunity.

After Netherlands, Slovakia will hold the position for the next six months. Malta will take over from next January onwards.

Produced at the Kremnica Mint, the obverse features the Bratislava castle and river Danube. Other inscriptions include ‘PREDSEDNICTVO’ which translates to “Presidency” and ‘SR V RADE EU’ which translates to “of Slovakia of the Council of the EU”.

The reverse features the coat of arms of the Slovak Republic, the inscriptions ‘2016’, ‘SLOVENSKA’ REPUBLIKA for “Slovak Republic”, ‘10 EURO’, the mint mark “MK,” and the initials of the coin’s designer, Vladimír Pavlica, “VP”.