On the occasion of the six-month Italian presidency of the Council of the European Union,  Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato will issue a commemorative 5 euro coin and Poste Italiane will issue a  theme stamp from the 1st of July. The silver coin was designed by Annalisa Masini and its two sides show mythological iconographies of Ceres and the rape of Europa.

The obverse of the coin depicts Ceres face, based on Raffaello’s “Venus, Juno and Ceres” fresco of 1518, from the Loggia of Cupid and Psyche of Villa Farnesina in Rome. The Roman myth of Ceres, the goddess of the harvest and the earth, is associated with growth and the fertility of the earth. Ceres wears a wheat crown which symbolises the fertility of nature and evokes the classical representation of her myth.

The reverse side of the coin shows Veronese’s Rape of Europa of 1580, from the Pinacoteca Capitolina in Rome. It is the allegory which has been chosen as  a symbol of the Council of the European Union and its prosperity, and it is circled by the 12 stars of the European flag.  The coin can be purchased for 40 euro. More information are available on Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato website.

The 0.70 euro stamp issued by Poste Italiane shows the six-month presidency logo, i.e. the swallow with the Italian flag  colours and the blue of the European flag.