Euro gold and silver commemorative coins are special euro coins minted and issued by member states of the Eurozone, mainly in gold and silver, although other metals are also used on rare occasions. Malta introduced the euro (€) on 1 January 2008. In a short time, the Central Bank of Malta has been producing both normal issues of Maltese euro coins, which are intended for circulation, and commemorative euro coins in gold and silver. The coins usually commemorate the anniversaries of historical events or draw attention to current events of special importance to Malta.