August 12, 2010 – The Konsta Jylhä and folk music collector coin was announced at the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival where the master composer’s centenary is very much in evidence.
Exceptionally Mint of Finland permitted the release of 2,000 of the brilliant uncirculated (BU) coins in Kaustinen. In addition to this, the Mint’s Managing Director Paul Gustafson presented proof coins to Provincial Councillor Viljo S. Määttälä and to Conductor Juha Kangas at the end of the Kansansoittajien kuningas (King of the Folk Musicians) concert.
‘The Mint of Finland has earlier struck coins with a music theme, commemorating Jean Sibelius (1999), Aino Ackté (2001) and Fredrik Pacius (2009). It is important that we also now have a coin commemorating Konsta Jylhä and folk music,’ explains Paul Gustafsson. ‘ Folk music is the music that is stored in our memories and in this sense it has links with the Kalevala’s song traditions. The vitality of folk music is a testament in its own way to the strength of the Kalevala song tradition. Mint of Finland collector coins are always struck in honour of a notable event or person.’ The Mint struck a coin to commemorate the Kalevala (Finland’s national epic) in 1985.
The remaining Konsta Jylhä and folk music coins will be on sale from 10.8.2010 through Mint of Finland’s web shop and retailers. 10,000 proof coins will be struck. After the Folk Music Festival, 3,000 of the brilliant uncirculated (BU) coins remain. The coin was designed by Reijo Paavilainen. It has a nominal value of 10 euros, it is 38.6 mm in diameter and it weighs 25.5 g.
If you want to get some impressions from the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival, click here.
If you want to hear Finnish folk music written by Konsta Jylhän, click here.