The Belgian 2 euro standard circulation coin features the effigy of King Philippe, who ascended to the throne in 2013 following the abdication of his father, King Albert II. Designed by Jan Alfons Keustermans, the portrait faces left and is accompanied by the royal monogram ‘FP’ positioned to the right. Surrounding the monarch are the twelve stars of the European Union, the country code ‘BE’, and the year of issue. This design represents the continuity of the Belgian monarchy and the constitutional role of the sovereign within the nation. The coin is issued in the standard circulation format. The mintage for this 2014 issue is 78,000 pieces.