The bi-metallic 2 euro coin used in the Euro currency zone of the European Union bears an uncanny resemblance to the 10 baht coin used in Thailand.
The thai coin was minted first, so the members of the Euro coin design committee - and this being Europe we know there must have been a committee - must have had red faces when the issue was first publicised in 2002.
Today I have two of the thai coins that I was unfortunate enough to get in change. I say unfortunate because instead of being worth EUR 2, they are worth only EUR 0.21. If I was dishonest I could pass them on to someone else in change, or use them in a vending machine which might accept them.
It is interesting that ebay.ie, and other European ebay sites, are not swamped with thai residents selling bags of the coins.
As a sidebar, why do so many Eastern coins show their leaders wearing glasses? While it must be a reality surely for the purposes of a portrait one would take off glasses as they are considered a sign of weakness.
The Thai King has one functional eye only. To hide this he masks up with glasses.
Abou the money: you will have found out that vending machines in Europe do not accept the Thai 10 Baht coin.
Contrary to the last poster, vending machines in Europe DO accept the 10 baht coin as 2 Euro credit. Not all machines, but I believe most/some do. Try it!
I find it surprising that you think glasses represent a sign of weakness. To whom? In my opinion, they give an appearance of intellect, sometimes sophistication (why do so many celebs & posers wear sunglasses all the time?) and certainly that the wearer should be taken seriously.
Glasses are a sign of weakness! I wear them and while they can give the appearance on intellect they do mean, and advertise that the wearer has imperfect vision.
And how is imperfect vision a sign of weakness? Or do you think there is a person out there who is perfect? All human bodies have imperfections. Weakness is the opposite of strength, and you would hardly think not wearing glasses is a sign of strength, would you?
The 2 euro and 10 baht are both identical to the 500 lire (that is, 25 euro cent) used in Italy before Euro currency.
The lire was a curency replaced by euro, and the italian mint coined both the 500 lire and the thai 10 baht. Of course the euro committee knew that coins very well.
I suppose they choose to not change the format by purpose, but I don’t know why. Maybe they want to use the existing mint?
The thais do not sell buckets of 10 baht coins because having/selling baht offshore is illegal. Probably ebay forbids that.