Euro gold and silver commemorative coins (Finland)
Gold and silver issues of the euro commemorative coins in Finland
This article needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(December 2012)
Republic of Finland
(in Finnish)Suomen tasavalta (in Swedish)Republiken Finland
Euro gold and silver commemorative coins are special euro coinsminted and issued by member states of the Eurozone, mainly in gold and silver, although other precious metals are also used in rare occasions. Finland was one of the first twelve countries in the Eurozone that introduced the euro (€) on 1 January 2002. Since then, the Mint of Finland Ltd. have been minting both normal issues of Finnish euro coins, which are intended for circulation, and commemorative euro coins in gold and silver.
These special coins have a legal tender only in Finland, unlike the normal issues of the Finnish euro coins, which have a legal tender in every country of the Eurozone. This means that the commemorative coins made of gold and silver cannot be used as money in other countries. Furthermore, as their bullion value[1] generally vastly exceeds their face value, these coins are not intended to be used as means of payment at all—although it remains possible. For this reason, they are usually named Collectors' coins.
The coins usually commemorate the anniversaries of historical events or draw attention to current events of special importance. Finland mints four of these coins on average per year, in both gold and silver, with face value ranging from 5 to 100 euros.
Summary
As of 2 October 2008, 26 variations of Finnish commemorative coins have been minted: three in 2002, four in 2003, three in 2004, four in 2005, five in 2006, four in 2007, four in 2008 and one in 2009 so far. These special high-value commemorative coins are not to be confused with €2 commemorative coins, which are coins designated for circulation and do have legal tender status in all countries of the Eurozone.[2]
The following table shows the number of coins minted per year. In the first section, the coins are grouped by the metal used, while in the second section they are grouped by their face value.
This coin is also called Gold Mining in Lapland. On the obverse, it shows a waterfall in a forest. On the reverse, the midnight sun above a lake in Lapland can be observed.
The obverse depicts a wovenribbon with the twelve stars of Europe. Finland in Finnish (Suomi) and Swedish are displayed at the bottom of the coin, with the face value of 10 euro in the right up corner.
On the reverse, a feather (as a symbol of an author) and Elias Lönnrot's signature can be seen. The Finnish word kansanrunous (People's Poetry) can be observed on this side of the coin.
In the Obverse, the Olympic Flame above the Earth can be seen. Note that Finland is the only country highlighted on earth, as a representation of the host of these games.
On the reverse, a view of the Helsinki Olympic Stadium can be seen. On the right, the 500 markka commemorative coin minted in 1952 celebrating the occasion is depicted.[7]
In the obverse, a lake landscape with three trees can be observed. Finland in Finnish and Swedish, with the face value of 5 euro are depicted in the bottom part of the coin.
On the reverse, three ice hockey sticks with a puck can be seen. Notice the number of elements (three) repeated twice, in both sides of the coin, as a representation of the year this coin was minted.
The snowflake featured on both sides of the coin symbolizes the country's northern location, where the designs spill over from the gold core to the silver ring. The beads around the border are a traditional design element in Finnish numismatic art, dating back to the gold coins of 1878.
The reverse features another design of snowflake surrounded by beads.
This commemorative coin was minted in honour of the life work of Anders Chydenius. The year 2003 marked the 200th anniversary of the death of Chydenius, who served as, among other things, a priest, economist, and parliament member.
The obverse features an open book, referring to Chydenius's numerous publications and the Bible. A traditional village with a church and other buildings can be seen on the reverse.[9]
The reverse of the coin features a view of Saint Petersburg, with the Peter and Paul Fortress and its three turrets. In the coin the words "St. Petersburg 1703–2003" can be seen.
The obverse of the coin features a stylized portrait of Runeberg's face.
The reverse features an 1831 font sample from Helsingfors Tidningar – a Swedish-language newspaper – since Runeberg wrote most of his work in Swedish, representing his versatile literary talent.
The obverse of the coin features Helsinki Olympic Stadium and above the stadium random waves express the feeling of the games. On the reverse are two faces with twelve euro stars on their hairs.[12]
The obverse of the coin shows a dove carrying a twig in its beak. Below is the chain from which the dove has broken free, as well as the symbol of the Europa Coins Programme.
The reverse of the coin is divided into two parts, where the lower part symbolizes the frosted ground and wartime, and the top part symbolizes the bright sky and peace. From the harsh ground, where only thorns have previously grown, a plant blooms as it grows and stretches for the freedom of the surface.
The obverse features a battlefield trench carved in the pattern of a soldier's face and helmet in profile. The Finnish phrase tuntematon sotilas (unknown soldier) can be seen in this side of the coin.
The reverse has an embossed uniformed soldier standing at attention, shaped as a filmstrip.
These two coins feature a silver colored center and gold colored ring, made with two different materials giving them their respective values.
On the obverse, a negotiation table, symbolized by the rectangular eminence, depicts the Presidency. The vertical text SUOMI – FINLAND and the horizontal year date (2006), together form a stylized gavel can be seen. There are balloons on the sides, filled with compositions of letters.
The uniqueness design of this coin is that the pictorial subject of the reverse imitates the theme of the obverse. The entire pattern is made up of letters. Looking carefully you see a human face and balloons as well.[15]
The obverse depicts a pine tree, very typical in Åland. The reverse design features a boat's stern and rudder, with a dove perched on the tiller, a symbol of 150 years of peace.[16]
A characteristic of this coin is that the text "150 years" and "the demilitarisation of Åland" is written on the obverse of the coin in Swedish, and on the edge of the coin in Finnish.
Johan Vilhelm Snellman (12 May 1806 – 4 July 1881) was an influential Finnish philosopher, writer, journalist and statesman, who championed Finnish culture and developed the structures of the modern civic society. Apart from developing the national education system and the Finnish language, Snellman, in his capacity as Senator and head of the fiscal committee, also introduced a monetary reform that granted Finland a currency of its own, the Finnish markka, in 1865. For this achievement, there is a statue of J.V. Snellman in front of the Bank of Finland building in Helsinki.
The obverse depicts J.V. Snellman, It also depicts the logo of the Europe Coins Programme. The reverse design features represent the dawn of Finnish culture.[17]
The obverse shows the silhouette of a woman's and a man's hands, and below the hands ballots being inserted in a ballot-box. The Finnish word eduskuntauudistus (parliamentary reform) can be seen in this side of the coin.
On the reverse, two stylized faces in the centre part, one male and the other female, separated by a thin curved line is depicted. They symbolize the equality of genders, as does the fact that the pictorial subjects on both sides are equal in respect to the centre of the coin.[19]
On 15 November 1917, the Bolsheviks in Russia declared a general right of self-determination, including the right of complete secession, "for the People of Russia". On the same day the Finnish Parliament issued the Finland's Declaration of Independence, a declaration by which it assumed all powers of sovereignty in Finland. On 6 December 1917, the Parliament adopted the Declaration, which is why this day is the national holiday Finland Independence Day. The independence of Finland was recognized by the Soviet government on 18 December and approved on 22 December of the same year.
This issue celebrates the 90th anniversary of independence in Finland. The reverse shows petroglyph aesthetics, while the obverse has a nine-oar boat with rowers as a symbol of a true Finnish trait: collaboration. You can also distinguish signs of music and Finnish kantele strings in the coin's design.[21]
This issue also celebrates the 90th anniversary of independence in Finland. The 100 euro coin is festive in its expression and its obverse illustrates Finland and the years of independence. The purely abstract composition on the reverse is very rare in Finnish collector coins.[23]
This issue celebrates the 175th anniversary of the birth of Finnish explorer Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld, and of his discovery of the Northeast Passage. The issue is a part of the European series with the Eurostar mintmark, which celebrates European Achievements in 2007.
The obverse features an abstract portrait of Nordenskiöld at the helm of his ship. The reverse is dominated by a pattern resembling the labyrinth formed by adjacent ice floats.
This collector coin is issued to honor Mikael Agricola's lifework as a contributor of protestant reformation in Finland and father of Finnish written language. The reverse of the coin shows a quill referencing the writer; while the obverse contains an artistic interpretation of a human figure.
The first Flag of Finland, independent since late 1917, was a red and yellow lion flag. Just six months after the declaration of independence, on 27 May 1918, a proposal on a blue and white cross flag was adopted. The Flag Act was passed two days later. In 2008, the Finnish Blue Cross flag celebrates its 90th anniversary. This is the first ever Finnish collector coin with added colour on it.[6]
The obverse shows the dignified Finnish flag with the blue cross in full color in the midst of other flags. The reverse depicts Finnish nature as a cross design that nicely completes the entity. On this side, the Finnish words Suomen lippu and Swedish words Finlands flagga (Finnish flag) can be seen.
In 2008, the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters as well as Helsinki University of Technology celebrate their 100th anniversary. In honour of this event a bimetallic collector coin was minted.
The Collector Coin Committee set by the Finnish Ministry of Finance arranged a public competition for the designing of the coin. Designer Tapio Kettunen's proposal "Läpimurto – vihdoinkin uutta valoa" ("Breakthrough – new light at last") emerged as the winner.[6] The Finnish words 100 vuotta tiede ja tutkimus (100 years of science and research) can be observed in the reverse of the coin.
This coin was issued to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of the important Finnish author Mika Waltari (1908–1979). Mika Waltari captivated Finnish readers as early as the 1920s; by the end of the 1940s, a worldwide readership confirmed his popularity. His best-known and most loved book was The Egyptian, published in 1945. The events in the book take place in Egypt during the reigns of the pharaohs Akhenaten and Tutankhamun. Soon after publication, the book became a best-seller in the US, and historians praised Mika Waltari for his detailed scientific knowledge of Egyptology.
The reverse depicts a vigilant Pharaoh watchdog referencing his famous book. The obverse is decorated with Waltari's signature and a stylized pen nib that symbolizes the diversity of the writer's production.
This issue commemorates the 200th anniversary of the Finnish War and the Birth of Finnish Autonomy.
The Finnish War was fought between Sweden and Russia from February 1808 to September 1809, with Finnish guerrilla troops helping on the Swedish side. As a result of the Russian-won war, the eastern third of Sweden was established as the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland within the Russian Empire. Other notable effects were the Swedish parliament's adoption of a new constitution (also called Swedish Act of Succession) and the establishment of the House of Bernadotte, the new Swedish royal house, in 1818.[30]
The motif on the coin is the passage from Sweden to Russia. The same coin depicts both Finnish history, with the withdrawing crown on the reverse side as well as the future of the country, with the eagle symbol on the obverse side.[28]
This issue celebrates the 200th anniversary of his birth. The obverse and reverse of the coin complement each other, forming stylized musical notations floating in what reflects a view of a stage. This is the fifth Finnish collector coin in the Eurostar series with the pan-European mint mark.
Notes
^Precious metals in bulk form are known as bullion, and are traded on commodity markets. Bullion metals may be cast into ingots, or minted into coins. The defining attribute of bullion is that it is valued by its mass and purity rather than by a face value as money.
