This set was issued to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome. 13 member states issued a special €2 commemorative coin to celebrate the anniversary, featuring a common design of the treaty and the Piazza del Campidoglio in Rome where the Treaty of Rome was signed. This was the first time a coin was issued by all euro-area members to commemorate the same event, it was also the first time that a €2 coin with a common design on both sides was circulated throughout the euro area.
The Irish euro coins share the same design by Jarlath Hayes, that of the harp, a traditional symbol for Ireland since the Middle Ages, based on that of the Brian Boru harp, housed in Trinity College, Dublin. The same harp is used as the official seals of the Taoiseach, and government ministers and the Official Seal of the President of Ireland.
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