June 5, 2014 – The provincial animals of Finland’s historic provinces are being honoured with their own collector coins. On 27 May, by authorisation of the Ministry of Finance, Mint of Finland released the coins of Karelia and Savonia as the first in a series of nine collector coins. The nominal value of a collector coin is five euros.
The new coin series pays tribute to the emblematic animals of Finland’s provinces. The Animals of the Provinces series is the third coin series struck in honour of Finland’s historic provinces.
”Provincial coins immortalise in metal things that are essential to Finnishness – livelihoods, culture, and now animals. Maybe that is why so many Finns have purchased the coins of their provinces. The provincial five-euro coins rank amongst the most popular coins minted by Mint of Finland,” says Mint of Finland CEO Paul Gustafsson.
Mint of Finland began minting provincial coins by authorisation of the Ministry of Finance in 2010. In 2012–2013, the series depicted the landmark buildings of Finland’s historic provinces, while the coins minted in 2010–2011 featured traditional livelihoods and provincial culture.
Finland / 5 euros / 9.8 g / 27.25 mm / Designer: Nora Tapper (reverse), Erkki Vainio (obverse) / Mintage: 10 000 (proof), 35 000 (unc).
The Karelian coin features the cuckoo
The cuckoo has long been the provincial bird of Karelia. Karelia’s provincial animal coin thus depicts the cuckoo, behind which opens a traditional Karelian lake vista. The collector coin’s reverse bears the historic coat of arms of Karelia.
The 2013 Karelian coin paid tribute to the Imatrankoski rapids, and the 2011 coin honoured the Karelian tradition of birch-bark crafts.
Finland / 5 euros / 9.8 g / 27.25 mm / Designer: Nora Tapper (reverse), Erkki Vainio (obverse) / Mintage: 10,000 (proof), 35,000 (unc).
The collector coin of Savonia bears the black-throated loon
The provincial bird of Savonia, the black-throated loon, is a familiar sight on rugged, clear lakes. The collector coin of Savonia depicts a black-throated loon swimming on the rippling surface of a Savonian lake, with an island visible in the horizon. The collector coin’s reverse is stamped with the historic coat of arms of Savonia.
The 2013 coin of Savonia commemorated Olavinlinna castle, while the 2011 coin paid tribute to a traditional agricultural technique typical of Savonia – slash-and-burn farming.
The collector coins of Karelia and Savonia inaugurating the Animals of the Provinces series are available from the Mint of Finland online shop and from retailers since 27 May. The series will continue with the collector coins of Finland Proper and Aland in the autumn.
Visit the Mint of Finland Online Shop here.
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