Obverse: The national side of the coin features all four members of the legendary Irish rock band U2: Adam Clayton, Bono, The Edge and Larry Mullen Jr. Above them appears the inscription “U2 / 50th ANNIVERSARY”, celebrating five decades since the band's formation. The design also includes the Irish name for Ireland, “ÉIRE”, the year of issue, 2026, and the twelve stars of the European Union. The coin was designed by Shaughn McGrath.
Reverse: The common side of the 2 euro coin features a map of Europe, the denomination “2 EURO” and twelve European Union stars. This design was created by Luc Luycx.
About the coin: The 2026 Ireland 2 Euro commemorative coin celebrates the 50th anniversary of U2, one of the most influential rock bands in music history.
The band's story began in Dublin in 1976, when drummer Larry Mullen Jr. posted a notice on his school's bulletin board seeking musicians to form a band. This brought together Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr., who would go on to achieve worldwide fame.
Over five decades, U2 has released 15 studio albums, sold more than 175 million records and received 22 Grammy Awards. Songs such as “With or Without You”, “One” and “Beautiful Day” have become international classics, while the band's live performances are renowned for their innovative stage productions.
The coin celebrates U2's lasting contribution to Irish culture and global music. The Brilliant Uncirculated (BU) collector edition is presented in an original numismatic coin card, with a limited mintage of 150,000 pieces.
