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€2 commemorative coins are special euro coins minted and issued by Member States of the eurozone since 2004 as legal tender in all eurozone Member States. The coins typically commemorate the anniversaries of historical events, or draw attention to current events of special importance. As of 2008, forty-nine variations of €2 commemorative coins have been minted: six in 2004, eight in 2005, seven in 2006, twenty in 2007 (including the thirteen versions of the common issue), and eight in 2008. At least five more were planned to be minted in 2008, and two more in 2009 (plus a second common issue, with sixteen Member States to participate, as Slovakia joins the eurozone on 1 January 2009). €2 commemorative coins have become collectibles.
The €2 commemorative coins are not to be confused with commemorative coins (with a face value higher than €2), which are officially designated as 'collector coins', and usually made of precious metal. The basis for the commemorative coins derived from a decision of the European Council, which repealed the prohibition of changing the national obverse sides of euro coins from 1 January 2004 onwards. However, a number of recommendations and restrictions still apply. Two restrictions concern the design; for one, nothing has changed about the fact that euro coins have a common reverse side, so only the national obverse sides may be changed.