| Description : The Principality of Andorra traditionally did not have an
official currency, but used de facto Spanish and French banknotes and coins, which were replaced by euro banknotes and
coins on the 1st of January 2002, following the introduction of the euro as book money on the 1st of
January 1999. A Monetary Agreement between the European Union and the Principality of Andorra was concluded on the
30th of June 2011 and the euro was introduced as the official currency of Andorra on the 1st of
April 2012. Bullion and collector coins denominated in diners (els diners = money in Catalan) issued by the
Principality are not legal tender in the European Union. The minting of diners was started in 1977 by the Bishop of Urgell
in his capacity as co‐Prince of Andorra and carried out by the Servei d'Emissions, the episcopal mint. A diner
was equivalent to 100 pesetas from 1983 to 1985, and 125 pesetas thereafter. From 1998, the Consell General de les Valls,
the Parliament of Andorra, also issued diner coins; however, they too were not used in commerce. The commemorative coin,
dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the start of the monetary agreement with the EU, shows the euro symbol in a
semicircle surrounded by six five‐pointed stars in the upper left‐hand corner and the dates "2012" and "2022" in
two lines to the right. The issuing country "ANDORRA" is mentioned at the top right. The lower half of the coin motif is
formed by puzzle pieces symbolising the interlocking of the countries participating in the euro. Andorran coins are minted
alternately in the countries of the co‐Princes of Andorra; in 2022 this was the turn of the Royal Mint Real Casa
de la Moneda in Madrid. |
