2 Euros Probe Essai Prueba

Lithuania joined the EU in May 2004 but did not adopt the euro until 2015 — one of the longest gaps between accession and currency adoption among the 2004 intake. This piece is a pre-adoption trial strike, produced to test die compatibility and metal tolerances ahead of eventual euro production. Such essais were never released to the public and exist in tiny quantities, typically distributed only among central bank officials and minting authorities.