The Mint of Finland issued the second commemorative €2 coin of Finland’s centenary last week with a design featuring scenes of Finnish nature.
The new commemorative euro coin, which was issued at the Nature Photograph of the Year gala held at Finlandia Hall on Oct. 21, is a part of the Finland 100 program celebrating the centenary of Finland’s independence. Like the silver Finnish Nature collector coin released this September, the new €2 coin takes its design from the winning shot in the special “Blue and White” category of the Nature Photograph of the Year competition.
”We are honoured and overjoyed, speechless really, that a nature photograph will be stamped onto the special and collector coins,” said Kari Wallgren, president of the Finnish Nature Photography Association. “The photograph has been expertly rendered in metal, and we are extremely happy about the result.”
The winning photograph was shot by nature photographer Kari Auvinen.
The two-euro coin’s common reverse features a design by Belgian artist Luc Luycx.
MODERN FINNISH CHARACTER
The crow—an outwardly common but intelligent bird that reacts flexibly to new situations—symbolizes the modern Finnish character. As per the rules of the competition’s special category, the winning photograph was compiled from two shots.
The national side of the coin bears the images from Auvinen’s photograph—a full moon over Harmaja and a crow gazing down on the world from its perch. The commemorative coin’s reverse is identical to all €2 coins.
The designs and release of special €2 coins is up to the individual euro countries while the Central Bank of Europe approves their mintages. The total mintage of the special Finnish Nature €2 coins will be 500,000 units, of which 11,000 will be finished to lustrous Proof quality.
The Proof-quality Finnish Nature €2 coins minted in Mint of Finland’s factory in Vantaa have been granted the Key Flag Symbol of Finnish origin issued by the Association for Finnish Work.
| Denomination | Metal | Weight | Diameter | Quality | Maximum Mintage |
| €2 | Bi-metallic | 8.5 grams | 25.7 mm | Uncirculated | 489,000 |
| €2 | Bi-metallic | 8.5 grams | 25.7 mm | Proof | 11,000 |
| €10 | .925 silver | 10 grams | 28.5 mm | Proof | 9,900 |
| €10 | .925 silver | 10 grams | 28.5 mm | Proof | 100 |
| €20 | .925 silver | 25.5 grams | 38.6 mm | Proof | 4,900 |
| €20 | .925 silver | 25.5 grams | 38.6 mm | Proof | 100 |
For more information, visit the Mint of Finland website.