Catalog
See full images - free registration
Continue with Google - no registration!
or register with email
Why register? Just to keep bots out of our catalog. Your email stays private - we will never share it or send you anything uninvited. We guarantee you that!
10 Europ Ceros Essai Pattern Probe Coin
| Issuer | Norway |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | 2.1 mm |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Log in to see details |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | A detailed relief depiction of a salmon swimming to the right occupies the central field, its body rendered with fine stippled detailing to suggest scales and texture. The arched legend ESSAI · PATTERN · PROBE runs along the upper periphery, inscribed in raised Latin capitals. The date 2004 appears in the lower exergual area in raised numerals. The overall design is characteristic of a multilingual trial piece, with the three-language inscription referencing French, English, and German terminology for a pattern coin. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | The denomination numeral 10 appears prominently to the left of center, with the currency inscription EUROP© and the unit CEROS arranged vertically below it. To the right, a stylized representation of the prow and headstock of a Viking longship is depicted, rendered in raised relief against a background of vertical parallel lines suggestive of water or a structural motif. The composition evokes Norse maritime heritage and is consistent with the Norwegian thematic context of this fantasy pattern series. |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Log in to see details |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
Norway never joined the Eurozone — the 2003 referendum was never held, as public opposition remained strong enough that no government seriously pushed for a vote. These essai pieces were produced as part of the broader European pre-euro pattern program, in which candidate and prospective member states submitted trial strikes for evaluation of metal, weight, and die quality. Norway's participation was technical, not political.
The brass composition mirrors the specification for the 10-euro cent denomination, allowing direct comparison testing against circulation blanks from confirmed member states.