June 11, 2015 – In 2015, 70 years have passed since the end of the Second World War. European mints are issuing collector coins related to the subject as part of the European Silver Star programme. Mint of Finland has now released its own contribution.
The 70 Years of Peace in Europe collector coin was released in May as part of the joint collector coin programme of European mints. The theme of the programme changes annually, and coins released in the series this year will celebrate the end of the Second World War 70 years ago.
Eurostar logo. “Europa Coin Program logo” by Source. Licensed under Fair use via Wikipedia – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Europa_Coin_Program_logo.png#/media/File:Europa_Coin_Program_logo.png
According to Mint of Finland’s CEO Paul Gustafsson, it is important to participate in this joint European programme, whose theme of peace is now topical in many respects: “Each year, we have witnessed very different implementations of the shared theme. In addition to the theme, coins released in the programme are united by a logo struck on the collector coin. The logo combines the star of the EU flag and the letter E, depicted by the € symbol,” says Paul Gustafsson.
The European Silver Star programme was initiated in 2004, and has covered themes such as European literature, art, architecture and cultural heritage. The previous coins released by Mint of Finland in the programme have celebrated Peace and Freedom (2005), J. V. Snellman (2006), explorer A. E. Nordenskiöld (2007), the Finnish flag (2008), composer Fredrik Pacius (2009), architect Eero Saarinen (2010), explorer Pehr Kalm (2011), goldsmith Henrik Wigström (2012) and author F.E. Sillanpää (2013).
The 70 Years of Peace in Europe collector coin straddles peace and war
Instead of the conventional dove often used to symbolise peace, the collector coin’s motifs depict the dramatic juxtaposition of war and peace, but also the bridge connecting the two.
Finland / 2015 / 10 euro / Ag925/1000 / 17 g / 33 mm / Design: Petri Neuvonen / Mintage: 10,000.
Behind the arch of a bridge on the coin’s reverse lie the elements of ruin and destruction that symbolise war: debris and flames. On the coin’s obverse, shoots, leaves and fruits wind along the same arch, symbolising peace and growth. The coin’s obverse and reverse, peace and war, meet on the deck of the bridge. The coin is designed by Petri Neuvonen.
The nominal value of the silver collector coins is EUR 10. The maximum mintage of the collector coins is 10,000, out of which 70 coins are numbered. The numbered collector coins are packaged in glass cases and sold separately. The collector coins are made of Ag925/1000 silver, with a diameter of 33 millimetres and weight of 17 grams.
To get to the website of the Mint of Finland please click here.
The Monnaie de Paris has already issued a collector coin on the same subject. We reported on this coin here in CoinsWeekly.
In 2012 the President Herman Van Rompuy gave a Nobel Lecture on how Europe came from war to peace.