In several cities nationwide where a German Central Bank (Bundesbank) is located, such as Berlin, Nuremberg and Essen, eager coin collectors patiently waited in line.
On Thursday morning, hundreds of young and old coin enthusiasts waited outside the Central Bank branch in the Berlin district of Charlottenburg, reported broadcaster RTL.
The special coins – of which 3.4 million have been produced in Germany – are available at the 35 Bundesbank branches across the country from Thursday onward.
Highly sought after for their innovative design, an orange, translucent polymer ring encircles the centre of the coin, separating it from its outer ring. The unique material makes the coin much more difficult to counterfeit, with the plastic ring easy to recognize with the naked eye and difficult to reproduce.
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The five-euro coin with a plastic ring in the middle was first unveiled in 2016. At the time, Germany unveiled its version with a transparent blue ring. Photo: DPA
It is the second in a five-part series of special edition coins called “Climate Zones of the Earth.”
The series began in 2017 and one coin is to be issued each year until 2021. The 2018 edition is called “Subtropical Zone” while last year’s edition was called “Tropical Zone” and had a red polymer ring.
Like all German collector euro coins, the “Subtropical Zone” five-euro coins can be used across the country as a form of payment.
But as signs outside the branches state, only one coin per person per day can be issued – and while supplies last.
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