Olympic Nickel
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THE MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO NICKEL AND ITS APPLICATIONS |
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THE COMMEMORATIVE 2-euro coin issued by Greece weighs 8.5 grams and is about 24% nickel in
total.
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PDF of this article (192 kB) |
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For more information from the Nickel Institute on the use of nickel-containing
materials in coinage, |
Nickel Magazine, July 2004 --About 100 tonnes of nickel have been used by The Bank of Greece to issue a two-euro coin commemorating the return of the Olympics to Athens in 2004.
The image on the coin depicts a discus thrower as he twists before releasing his discus, a copy of a statue by 5th century BC Greek sculptor Myron. A Roman-era bronze copy of Myron's statue, capturing the full dynamics and pulse of discus throwing, is housed at the British Museum in London.
A total of 50 million of the coins were issued each weighing 8.5 grams. All two euro coins are made of a silver-coloured outer ring of cupronickel, which is 25% nickel by weight, and a yellowish inner part which consists of three layers: one of pure nickel sandwiched between two layers of nickel-brass (5% nickel).
PHOTO: The Bank of Greece
For more information on the advantages of using nickel in coinage see: |
