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A 2 euro commemorative coin of the Hellenic Republic, issued in 2016 in a circulation of 750,000 copies. Dedicated to the 120th anniversary of the birth of Dimitris Mitropoulos. The author of the design is Georgios Stamatopoulos. Bimetallic, diameter 25.75 mm, weight 8.5 g.
Obverse
The center of the coin depicts a portrait of Dimitris Mitropoulos at the moment of conducting, with a characteristic expression of concentrated inspiration inherent in the great maestro. Around the portrait, in a circle, are placed the Greek inscriptions: "DIMITRI MITROPOULOS" (Dimitriy Mitropoulos) and "120 ΧΡΟΝΙΑ ΑΠΟ ΤΗ ΓΕΝΝΗΣΗ" (120 years since birth), as well as the name of the issuing country "ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ". The years "1896-2016" and the mint mark (palm tree) are located around the image. The author's initials "ΣΤΑΜ". On the outer ring - 12 stars of the European Union.
Reverse
The reverse is the common side of the 2 euro coins of the second type, designed by Luc Luix. It depicts a map of Europe as a single continent without internal borders. On the left - a large denomination "2" and the inscription "EURO", on the right - a map. On the outer ring - 12 stars of the EU.
Historical context
Dmitriy Mitropoulos (Δημήτρης Μητροπουλος, 1896-1960) - an outstanding Greek conductor, pianist and composer of the 20th century. He was born on March 1, 1896 in Athens in the family of a Greek priest. He studied at the Athens Conservatory, and then in Brussels and Berlin, where he was an assistant to the composer Ferdinando Busoni. In the 1930s he gained international fame as a conductor. In 1937 he moved to the United States, where he became chief conductor of the Minnesota Symphony Orchestra (1937-1949). In 1951-1957 he was music director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. He was famous for his brilliant memory (he conducted without a score), his passion for modern music (he performed works by Mahler, Schoenberg, Shostakovich, Berg). He died on November 2, 1960 in Milan during a rehearsal of Mahler's Third Symphony at La Scala. Open, generous, deeply religious, Mitropoulos influenced a whole galaxy of conductors, including Leonard Bernstein.