Obverse: The set consists of five 2008 German commemorative €2 coins, struck at all five German mints and identified by the mint marks A, D, F, G and J. The centre of the coin depicts St Michael's Church in Hamburg, also known as the Hamburger Michel, one of the citys most recognisable architectural landmarks. Below the building is the inscription HAMBURG. The outer ring bears the 12 stars of the European Union, with the year 2008 at the top and the inscription BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND at the bottom. The corresponding mint mark also appears on the coin.
Reverse: The reverse features the design characteristic of all €2 coins: a geographical map of Western Europe positioned on the right side of the coin and extending across both the inner and outer sections. The inscription 2 EURO appears above the map, while the numeral 2 is set against the Atlantic Ocean. The outer ring features 12 stars positioned on both sides of the map, with vertical lines visually connecting the upper and lower stars.
About the coins: The 2008 German commemorative €2 coin is dedicated to the federal state of Hamburg and is the third coin in the German Bundesländer series. The main motif is St Michael's Church, one of Hamburgs most important landmarks and often simply called Michel by locals. The present Baroque church was built in the 18th century, while its tower, rising more than 130 metres, was for a long time an important landmark for ships approaching Hamburg along the River Elbe. The coin was designed by Erich Ott. The set contains coins from all five German mints: A – Berlin, D – Munich, F – Stuttgart, G – Karlsruhe and J – Hamburg.
