2 cents in Europe...

I was looking at the Euro coins (as-you-do) when I was in Germany just a few days ago & I noticed that the €0.02 coins all had a ridge in the edge.

My family had never noticed this, but checking their change they found the same too...



Interesting that nobody in my family had noticed this even though it would appear they have been made this way since 2002 (according to Numista)
I guess this it to enable distinction by-feel for those with sight limitations.

Can anyone shed any light on this edging even on other coins...?

I bet your spot on with your assumption. 

PS Welcome back We missed you. 

I'll put in my two pennorth. With the assistance of Wikipedia (and, yes, I do know that source has to be treated with a little caution, but this sounds plausible):
"The coins are composed of copper-covered steel, with a diameter of 18.75 mm, a 1.67 mm thickness and a mass of 3.06 grams. The edges are smooth with a continuous groove running round the coin. This groove helps distinguish the 2-cent coin from the smooth 1- and 5-cent coins, as well as the U.S. penny, which has the same diameter. The coins have been used from 2002, though some are dated 1999 which is the year the euro was created as a currency, but not put into general circulation."
I think your inference that it was to help visually impaired users is spot-on, as fully sighted people wouldn't need that assistance. Unless it was pitch black, of course, but searching specifically for a 2 cent coin in pitch black conditions is likely to be a fairly niche occupation.

Interesting that you use the term penny with regards to US currency - is this American-Englishish slang...?  

ShortJohnSilver wrote:Interesting that you use the term penny with regards to US currency - is this American-Englishish slang...?  

@ShortJohnSilver , it was a straight quote from Wikipedia. There is, however. a real Newfoundland penny which is the only coin I am aware of that shows a carnivorous plant on the reverse. It doesn't have a groove round the edge.

The Cat's Mother wrote:

ShortJohnSilver wrote:Interesting that you use the term penny with regards to US currency - is this American-Englishish slang...?  

@ShortJohnSilver , it was a straight quote from Wikipedia. There is, however. a real Newfoundland penny which is the only coin I am aware of that shows a carnivorous plant on the reverse. It doesn't have a groove round the edge.

Erm... was that a yes or no then...?

It was a "quite possibly but I don't really know". The US cent is often referred to as a penny, and it probably is a hangover from colonial times when british currency was used.

The Cat's Mother wrote:It was a "quite possibly but I don't really know". The US cent is often referred to as a penny, and it probably is a hangover from colonial times when british currency was used.

It must be. There's a very interesting video on Spegtacular's channel with Coin Guy where he shows colonial money and civil war tokens. Amazing stuff for a history buff.

Very different but I also love how a few things in American English are still correct for the British English of the time, but over here we have changed things!

It is fascinating @kimchi . I refuse to accept 'math' and 'aluminum' though.