2 Euro - Beatrix Sail Den Helder "Brick / Gannet"

This is a Dutch silver-substitute token or medal issue rather than a legal tender euro coin — the euro did not circulate in the Netherlands until 2002, and no 2 Euro coins were struck for circulation in 1997. "Sail Den Helder" was a naval tall-ship festival held at the Noord Holland port, and commemorative pieces tied to such events were commonly produced as non-circulating souvenirs in the late 1990s. The named vessels — a brick and a gannet — refer to traditional Dutch sailing craft types associated with North Sea coastal work.