A new commemorative coin to celebrate ten years of the euro is to be issued in all euro-zone states.
The design from the Greek Central Bank, which was chosen following an online vote, features a stylized human figure in the centre of the coin whose left arm is extended by the euro symbol.
The name of the issuing county will also appear. Some 84 million commemorative coins are to be issued, 5 million of which will be Irish.
On January 1st Slovakia became the 16th country to join the euro zone.
The euro was created in 1999 when 11 countries, including Ireland, locked their bilateral exchange rates and equipped themselves with a single monetary and exchange rate policy.
Three years later euro banknotes and coins were introduced.