2 euro FINLAND (2004) Enlargement of the EU

in the coin centre drawn with one line a stylised shoot with ten leaves growing from a simplified Ionic column; on a column letters: EU (EUROOPAN UNIONI in Finnish or EUROPEISKA UNIONEN in Swedish - European Union); along the top edge year of issue 2004; at the edge a ring of twelve five-pointed stars - symbol of the European Union

left from the coin centre face value 2, on the right inscription: EURO; in the background of the inscription a simplified map of Europe showing borders of countries - members of the EU in 1999; in the background of the map vertically six parallel lines ending on both sides with five-pointed stars (the reverse is common for all euro coins)

reeded with concave inscription:

(Finland in Finnish and Swedish as well as three lion heads)

1 VII 2004

still in circulation

Pertti Mäkinen (initial M below the lower right leaf on the obverse), Luc Luycx (initials LL below letter 'O' in EURO on the reverse)

Rahapaja Oy (The Mint), Vantaa (below the lower right leaf on the obverse initial M of the mint director Makkonen)

2004	931 400	M	+ 54 000 in annual boxed sets
			+ 9 600 in commemorative sets

On Finnish coins produced after 1945 the following initials of directors of the Finnish Mint can be found:

• S - Isak Gustaf Sundell (in years 1912 - 1947)

• L - Vesa Uolevi Liuhto (1948)

• H - Peippo Uolevi Helle (1948 - 1958)

• S - Allan Alarik Soiniemi (1958 - 1975)

• K - Timo Kauko Koivuranta (1976 -1983)

• N - Reino Tapio Nevalainen (1983 - 1987)

• M - Reino Tapio Makkonen (1987 - 2006)

On the Finnish commemorative coin of 2 euro from 2006 the obverse designer - Pertti Mäkinen placed his own initial next to the initial of mint's director Reino Tapio Makkonen. Hence two letters 'M' on the obverse.

On May 1, 2004, there was the fourth and biggest ever enlargement of the European Union. Into its structures joined 10 countries: Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. Therefore, the obverse designer commemorating this event drew a plant with ten leaves symbolizing the ten new member states.