Obverse: The set consists of eight 2002 Austrian euro coins ranging from 1 cent to 2 euros. The 1 cent coin depicts a gentian, the 2 cent coin an edelweiss, and the 5 cent coin a primrose, representing Austria's natural heritage. The 10 cent coin features St Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, the 20 cent coin Belvedere Palace, and the 50 cent coin the Vienna Secession Building. The €1 coin depicts composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, while the €2 coin features writer and peace activist Bertha von Suttner, the first woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. All coins display their denomination, the year of issue 2002 and a motif based on the Austrian flag.
Reverse: The reverse of the coins features the first common European design corresponding to each euro denomination. The 1, 2 and 5 cent coins depict Europe in relation to the world, while the 10, 20 and 50 cent and €1 and €2 coins depict the European Union member states of the time. The common sides of the euro coins were designed by Luc Luycx.
About the coins: The 2002 coins are Austria's first euro coins issued for circulation. Euro banknotes and coins officially entered use in Austria on 1 January 2002, replacing the Austrian schilling. The national sides of all eight coins were designed by Austrian artist Josef Kaiser. Austria selected a different motif for each denomination, with the complete series divided into three main themes – Austrian flora, architecture and notable historical figures. A distinctive feature of Austrian euro coins is that the denomination is also clearly displayed on the national side of each coin.
