The design of the Maltese euro coins are among the most attractive in the euro area, the Central Bank of Malta has been told.

In reply to questions sent to the bank last week, a Bank spokesman said there were very positive comments about the design of the Maltese coins.

"Indeed, various people commented that the Maltese coins have some of the most attractive designs within the entire euro area," the spokesman said.

The Bank was getting highly positive comments both locally and overseas about the euro coin set it has issued and its presentation.

One can practically say that the 40,000 euro coin sets issued by the Bank have been sold out.

The Central Bank has made available for sale 40,000 commemorative euro coin sets in a distinctive box which also includes an ingot with the Central Bank coat of arms and the year 2008 on the face. The coins in the set are in brilliant uncirculated quality.

Included with the sets is a numbered certificate of authenticity. Out of the 40,000 sets available, 25,000 were sold overseas and 10,000 sets were sold in Malta.

The Bank had set aside 5,000 euro coin sets through a scheme launched with the production of 2005, 2006 and 2007 decimal sets.

Through that scheme, the Bank had committed itself to make available these sets for sale to buyers who have the tokens issued by it when they bought the decimal sets and who present the tokens up to three months from the date of issue of the euro sets.

The Bank is reserving these sets until February 29 and if any sets are still available they will be offered for sale to the public on a first-come-first-served basis.

Lombard Bank reported last week that over 700,000 sets of uncirculated Malta euro coins were exported to various European countries in a joint venture between the bank and Maltapost.

The coins were designed by Noel Galea Bason, who has designed other coins and commemorative medals both for local use as well as abroad.