The Central Bank of Ireland has announced two new commemorative coins set for release this autumn to honour rock band U2 and the late novelist Maeve Binchy as part of its official collector coin programme.

The first issue will be an official €2 coin dedicated to U2, marking 50 years since the band was formed in Dublin in 1976 by Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. According to the Central Bank, the coin will be issued in both Brilliant Uncirculated and Proof Quality editions, with a public launch scheduled for 25 September.

The second issue, planned for release on 2 October, is a €15 silver proof coin celebrating the life and literary legacy of Maeve Binchy. The Dublin-born author, who died in 2012, published numerous best-selling novels and short stories during her career, selling more than 40 million books worldwide.

While visual designs for the coins have not yet been released, the Central Bank confirmed that both will be available to order online via collectorcoins.ie in the coming weeks. The new pieces follow previous cultural issues by the bank, which have commemorated literary figures such as Seán O'Casey and George Bernard Shaw, alongside musicians Phil Lynott, Rory Gallagher, and Luke Kelly.