Coin Update» Mint of Finland

Gold and Silver Coin Celebrates 2012 World Design Capital Helsinki

Michael Alexander — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:27:24 +0000

The Mint of Finland have launched (3^rd February) a new collector coin which highlights distinctive Finnish design and celebrates Helsinki being designated World Design Capital for 2012. The coin was launched at the prestigious World Money Fair in Berlin. The Finnish capital was chosen as the World Design Capital by the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design in recognition of “Finnish practical comfort which brings together elements of luxury with a touch of Nordic style.” The coin highlights this distinction as an innovative and modern country of design expertise.

The collector coin minted as a gold and silver combination with a nominal value of €50, (the first time this denomination) is designed by Henna Lamberg. The coin’s obverse depicts alternative smooth and uneven surfaces including triangular and peaked effects that give it a distinctive look and tactile attributes resulting in a three-dimensional appearance. The text on the coin reads “WORLD DESIGN CAPITAL HELSINKI 2012” and is placed around the inner disc which is off-center. The Mint’s logo appears towards the end of the legend.

The reverse of the coin includes an opposite illustration of the center disc as seen on the obverse and also includes the coin’s denomination positioned at the top along with free-style and directional linear additions all around the center disc which are recessed into the silver ring. The text “SUOMI FINLAND” is also seen towards the lower portion.

Specifications for this coin include a combination of gold, (.750 fine) and sterling silver with a total weight of 10.8 grams and a diameter of 27.2 mm. The coin is produced in proof quality with a total mintage of 5,000 pieces in total. A 5 €URO aluminum-bronze coin with the same design is also being launched by the Mint of Finland.

For more information about this and other coins offered by the Mint, please visit their website at: http://www.suomenrahapaja.fi/eng/commemorative-and-collector-coins/world-design-capital-helsinki-2012-50

Juhani Aho €10 Silver Coin Issued by Mint of Finland

Michael Alexander — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 18:43:45 +0000

The Finnish Ministry of Finance has announced that a commemorative €10 silver coin will be issued on the 19^th September which marks the 150^th anniversary of the birth of Juhani Aho (1861 – 1921).

Born Johannes Brofeldt, in Lapinlahti of the Northern Savonia region, he was the first professional Finnish writer who gave a window into everyday life and the landscape of Finland. He was a master of psychological realism and brought other literary elements, such as French modernism, into Finland’s own national literary tradition. Finnish President, Tarja Halonen, is the official patron of the 150th anniversary celebration of Juhani Aho. Coincidentally, the Mint of Finland has its own connections to the writer as Aho was married to Venny Soldan-Brofeldt, the daughter of the Mint's first director, August Soldan.

The coin, designed by artist Reijo Paavilainen includes an image of a stylised nib of a pen along with the text “JUHANI AHO” to the right of the main design with the years “1861 1921” just to the left. Portions of some of his most well-known writings also appear on a manuscript which is cleverly continued on the reverse of the coin as a continual design. The reverse also includes the text “SUOMI FINLAND” along with the year of issue and the coin’s denomination of €10.

The coin is struck in two fineness variations. The proof example (7,000 examples) is struck in .925 silver while the UNC (8,000 examples) is struck in .500 fine silver. The weight of both coins is 25.5 grams with a diameter of 38.6 mm. The coin can be ordered directly from the Mint of Finland.

For more information on this and other coins produced by the Mint of Finland, please visit their website at: http://www.suomenrahapaja.fi/eng

€2 Coin Celebrates Central Bank of Finland 200th Anniversary

Michael Alexander — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 14:50:05 +0000

The Finnish Ministry of Finance has announced (30^th August) that a commemorative €2 coin will be issued on the 17^th October which marks the 200^th anniversary of the founding of the Country’s Central Bank. The 200-year-old Bank of Finland's roots are in the "Waihetus- Laina- ja Depositioni-Contori" ('Exchange, Lending and Deposits Bureau') which which was established in the former capital city of Turku in 1811 by Imperial decree of Russian Tsar Alexander I.

Struck by the Mint of Finland in Vaantaa, the obverse of the coin, designed by well-known coin artist Hannu Veijalainen, depicts an alternative version of the Finnish swan in flight along with the commemorative years “2011” to the left of the main design and “1811” on the right of the swan. The Finnish swan is also depicted on the one euro circulation coin.

The €2 commemorative coins will be available as UNC examples and will be released into general circulation, they will be available in 10-coin purses and in packages that include 5 coin rolls. The proof coin set will be released on 1 November. It is expected that the latest €2 bi-metalic commemorative coin will have a mintage of between 1.5 and 2.5 million units. The coin can be ordered directly from the Mint of Finland.

For more information on this and other coins produced by the Mint of Finland, please visit their website at: http://www.suomenrahapaja.fi/eng

Hella Wuolijoki €10 Silver Coin Issued by Mint of Finland

Michael Alexander — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 20:02:40 +0000

On March 19, 2011, the Finnish Mint issued a €10 silver coin to mark the 125th anniversary of birth of the writer, politician, and business manager Hella Wuolijoki (1886 – 1954).

She is nationally known for her series of “Niskavuori” novels and for “Hulda from Juurakko” which was turned into the Hollywood film “The Farmer’s Daughter”. The lead role of this film secured an Oscar for the actress Loretta Young in 1947. In all these works, Wuolijoki included the presence of strong, decisive and inspiring women characters. Born as Ella Marie Murrik in Helme, South Estonia, she moved to Helsinki where she married Sulo Vuolijoki. They divorced in 1923.

The coin’s design is the work of artist Petri Neunonen. The obverse depicts a stylised tree positioned to the left side, along with the text “HELLA WUOLIJOKI 1886 1954” arranged in four lines to the right of the tree. The reverse includes the coin’s denomination of €10 and illustrates a female form along with the text “SUOMI FINLAND” and the year of “2011” just under the central image.

The coins are struck in sterling silver (.925) with a weight of 25.5 grams and a diameter of 38.6 mm. The proof version of the coin has a mintage of 7,000 pieces, and the brilliant finish version has a mintage of 5,000 pieces.

This is the second and latest in the series of commemorative coins dedicated to Great Finnish women. In 2010, the series was launched with the Minna Canth collector coin.

For more information on this and other coins in the series and subjects, please visit the website of the Finnish Mint at: http://www.suomenrahapaja.fi/eng

Interview with Mint of Finland’s CEO Paul Gustafsson

Michael Alexander — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 20:42:26 +0000

Finland is an extraordinary country in so many ways. Often called the land of a thousand lakes, its size is equal to two and a half times that of England but with a population of just 5.4 million. Neither Scandinavian nor Slavic, Finns are actually ethnically related (though distantly) to the Hungarians and culturally (as well as linguistically) to the Estonians and Karelians. Finland declared their independence in 1917 after the fall of the Russian Imperial Government and became a republic on the 4^th January the following year. Through an Imperial edict from the Russian Czar Alexander II, the Finnish Mint in Helsinki was established which was responsible for the production of Marrkka coinage, also granted to the Finns in 1860.

As we were approaching the end of 2010 at the time of this interview, the Mint of Finland was looking back at the year of celebrations to mark their 150^th year anniversary, reflecting on the fact that the Mint, older than the Finnish Republic itself has grown in both prestige and size. Innovation has come easily to the Mint, they were the first to strike a commemorative coin to mark the summer Olympiad they hosted in 1952 and to experiment with sleek and un-traditional coin design. A radically different company has emerged from those early days of originality, from even that of just ten years ago. It has expanded and acquired other national mints in Scandinavia which has increased its size three-fold and its minting capacity to being the largest exporter of coins to foreign markets.

Mint of Finland Peace and Security 20 Euro - 2011 COTY Winner

The Finnish Mint proudly boasts of producing over a billion circulation, collector and commemorative coins annually. Consistently acclaimed at the Coin of the Year (COTY) awards, (this year they were awarded the 2011 COTY for the best silver crown) Finnish coins have definitely made a name for themselves with a reputation for a cutting edge approach to numismatic design. The Finnish Mint is also the largest producer of EURO circulation coins. Aside from minting their own EURO coins, they are the minters for countries such as Cyprus, Greece, Ireland, Slovakia and more recently, Estonia. What the Finnish mint may lack in numismatic history, they more than make up for in style and originality, their unique approach to design in any field is quintessentially Finish & widely acclaimed and, their coins are no exception. A favorite country of mine to collect coins from for many years, I can wholeheartedly recommend that as a collector of world coins, if you haven’t yet discovered the coins of Finland, do so sooner rather than later…and be prepared to be amazed!

Paul Gustafsson

First, a heartfelt congratulation to the Finnish Mint on your 150^th anniversary, your Mint is actually older than the modern Finnish state, can you give our readers some background on how the Mint came to exist before the Republic of Finland?

Quite simple really, in 1809, Finland became an autonomous part of the Russian Empire which was technically, the birth of our nation. In year 1860, Czar Alexander II also granted us our own currency which was the Markka. It was equal in exchange to 25 Kopecks, which meant 4 markka made up one Ruble. The First Mint of Finland was built near Helsinki Harbour and the original building is still there, very near the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. We moved to our present location in Vantaa in 1987.

Can you tell us if anything was done to mark this event either nationally or within the Mint itself?

There have been some new changes during the anniversary year. There has been an official name change with our Finnish name to Suomen Rahapaja, (Finnish Mint) which was our original name to begin with. Our name in English, Mint of Finland remains the same. There has also been a change of logo or insignia which you can see on our website. There was also a celebration of 150 years of Finnish currency which began with a reception at the Finnish Embassy in Berlin during the World Money Fair last January. A gold coin was issued to celebrate the Finnish Markka and there was also a webshop opened for the first time at the Mint itself. Part of the ongoing celebrations is the Mint’s exhibition and inter-active display here at Heureka titled “About a Coin” which will interest young coin collectors and, hopefully, inspire future coin collectors.

Finnish Currency 150 Years

Finnish coins which have gained quite a reputation over the years with regard to design, If there is a pre-cursor to the Dutch sense of abstract & concept of a modern approach to numismatic design, it is the Finnish Mint with some very innovative designs from the late 1960’s. Was this intentional of the Mint & the designers of the time and if so, how did this concept begin and continue?

I think it goes back to the 1950's when Finnish design received international acknowledgment. The Nordic concept of simple and functional design was prevalent at that time and because many of our coins were designed by first year sculptors of the Finnish Design Academy, this is reflected on the coins, not so much the medals we make but definitely on the coins. There is a similar sense of design that you find in our buildings, home products and the like, you see that simplicity and modernity comes through on our coinage… is it intentional? Well, we are Finns and its part of our heritage and it seems that this trend will continue, I must also say that Helsinki is to be designated the design capital of Europe for 2012. If you look at today’s designers, they seem to be on the same track with those who were before them.

Is it ever a concern that as the coins become more abstract or the design becomes more of a topic of discussion, that this actually lessens the actual anniversary or event the coin is supposed to commemorate?

There is a concern with this, but collector and commemorative coins are a great means to reflect a legacy, history and the values of a people to the future generation. We mint between 10,000 to 50,000 pieces per coin, we use the skills of front row sculptors to create the message and as I mentioned before, our mission is to “give value to money.” Whether they are circulation or collector coins, the value is the legacy or message of that Finnish person in history or event which is depicted. The design and event isn’t separate, it’s really a total package or a unique part of Finnish history which is interpreted.

Konsta Jylha and Folk Music 10 Euro

Concerning the substantial expansion of the Finnish Mint, the former Royal Norwegian and Swedish Mints are now a part of your company, so it looks as though the entirety of Scandinavia is under one centrally located entity. Why do you think this was a good move or, did you?

It was a good move and, a necessary move. Primarily because we want to preserve the skills, culture and the history of making coins in Scandinavia. Norway, Sweden and Finland are small countries in relation to population and in order to continue as a viable business, you must combine your resources and activity just to compete in this market effectively.

So this was a move to both preserve & enable these Mints to continue their activities?

I think that’s the problem with many mints and their brands, the smaller ones really don’t have a rationale to their existence when you look at this financially. They end up being supported by budgetary funds from the state or government.

Having said that… there was a Royal wedding in Sweden this year and while the commemorative coin for this occasion was struck at the Mint of Sweden, there is criticism about Swedish circulation coins being produced in Helsinki instead of Eskilstuna, how is this criticism handled?

As you know, Finland was itself under the Swedish crown for 600 years…but it’s not a counter-act in any way I assure you. (smiles) It’s good that Swedes are proud of their country, and we’re not that far from them, just on the other side of the Gulf of Bothnia. We’re quite close and there’s been that discussion here in Finland. I can tell you that Princess Victoria was here just a week ago visiting us (October) and also here in Helsinki and I can say that the Finns love the Princess and her new Husband very much, a lot of people on the streets were cheering whether they were Swedes or Finns. Sweden also issued a one krona coin to mark the 1809 separation of our union… though it was struck here in Helsinki!

What pitfalls do you think other world mints are facing in the new era of competitive coin production? Is it product, cost, design, lack of innovation & modernization, their sheer size or is it as simple as competition on an increased level?

All of these are important for us, financially and business-wise. We try to utilize the most up to date technology also training and education for our people and we do have some very good people working at the Mint. Our organization is also pretty lean, we’ve been practicing since 1993 at being a private company and operating from the revenue that we’ve generated from our business in the marketplace and in this regard, the culture has changed a lot from being funded from a state department. The Finnish Mint is a limited company and all shares are owned by the state. Besides reporting to the Board of Directors, we report to the Government Office that is responsible of the ownership steering and they let us know if we’re going in the right direction.

I’d like to talk about recent public & collector input with competitions and artist’s designs who send in their ideas. This wasn’t the “norm” for many years, so when and how did this occur?

The recent 20 Euro silver coin “Children and Creativity” in the Ethical coin series was designed by a 17 year old art student. This coin was launched here at the Heureka because both the coin and our current exhibition are related to children & creativity which is why the competition was also introduced. Our chief engraver was also part of the process and guiding the students who were taking part in the competition to make sure the designs could be put on the coin. So far, this is the only coin which has been designed by a member of the public in this way, by open competition and by someone so young.

Children and Creativity 20 Euro

Finland has stayed true to the traditional crown size coin, with 36 mm 10 & 100 Markka coins from the 1970’s & 1990’s and the transition over to the 10 and 20 EURO coins of 38 mm. Was this a deliberate decision on the part of the Mint or is it due to market demand?

It’s partly to do with the Mint and the Collector Coin Committee but also to do with the sculptors who want to make sure that we can reproduce their designs on the coin. If the coin is too small, there are difficulties and without a magnifier, you can’t see the detail that they intended. The end result is a beautiful coin which also goes back to giving value to money.

There has been an increase in the demand for Finnish coins over the last nine years of EURO coinage and even for the last of the markka coins. Would you put this down to design or limited numbers of strikes, many of the new coins now have very small mintages?

I think in the last markka years and the first EURO years, there was an accelerated demand for the coins but maybe it was because Finland is a EURO-zone country, maybe this does give us a greater demand for Finnish coins in Europe. However, if you just like beautiful coins and the Finnish sense of style & design, then you should look to adding some of our coins to your collection both for their beauty and value.

As we come to the end of our interview, I always like to ask my guests if they collect coins, especially since they’re around coins so much in their work life, so can I ask this of you?

Well, I am a collector but… not a coin collector, I collect Bob Dylan record releases! I only buy coins because I think they look nice or I really like it usually for myself or as a present. I have many coins in my drawer but I wouldn’t call it a collection. There are some interesting coins from Iceland from the 1980’s and some of the Danish coins, they are very nice and of course, some of the EURO’s from other countries, just to see what they’re doing with their coins,…something which catches my eye, you see, I’m already used to Finnish designs! (smiles)

I’m not sure there are coins that can match the designs of Finland, Mr. Paul Gustafsson, thank you very much for your time today here at the Heureka science Centre and the Mint’s “About a Coin” exhibition, I think I’ll have a try at making my own coin while I’m here!

You’re most welcome!

My thanks go to Ms. Henna Karjalainen, Communications and Marketing Manager of the Mint of Finland for arranging this interview, it is greatly appreciated. The Mint of Finland’s Exhibition “About a Coin” where you can create your own coin is at the HEUREKA Science Centre until at least the end of 2013. They are located at: Heureka, the Finnish Science Centre, Tiedepuisto 1, Tikkurila, Vantaa.

Mint of Finland Issues Pehr Kalm 10 Euro Silver Coin

Michael Alexander — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 19:54:16 +0000

The Mint of Finland have issued (28th January) a new silver coin to honor one of their most well known and celebrated scientists, Pehr Kalm (1716-1779). He is considered to be the most famous Finnish representative of the Enlightenment and one of the 'apostles' of Carl Linnaeus.

The silver coin was designed by Erkki Vainio. The obverse features a depiction of Pehr Kalm surveying the Niagara Falls from the Canadian side. The reverse of the coin depicts a stlized and subtly colored image of "Kalmia Latifolia". Often called Mountain-laurel, it is the state flower of Connecticut and Pennsylvania and named after Kalm.

The coin carries a face value of 10 EURO and is struck in .925 silver with a weight of 17 grams and diameter of 33.5 mm. There will be both proof and BU versions with mintages of 14,000 pieces for the proof and 6,000 pieces for the BU. The issue of this coin is in conjunction with the "EUROPA" or European Silver Star programme and includes their distinctive logo as part of the obverse design.

This is the Mint of Finland's first half crown size coin since the adoption of the Euro in 2011.

For more information on this and other coins offered by the Mint of Finland, please visit their website at http://www.suomenrahapaja.fi/eng/commemorative-and-collector-coins

Kaj Franck and Industrial Art Collector Coin

Michael Alexander — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 19:06:12 +0000

The Mint of Finland has announced that sculptor Reijo Paavilainen’s entry “Depicted in Form” has won the design competition for the upcoming “Kaj Franck and industrial art” collector coin.

On November 9, 2011, one hundred years will have passed since the birth of designer Kaj Franck and in celebration of this anniversary, a 10 euro silver collector coin will be issued in January 2011.

Kaj Franck (1911-1989) was one of the leading figures of Finnish design and an influential figure in design and applied arts between 1940 and 1980. The Jury considered Paavilainens’s proposal to be a design where “tri-dimensionality” was well achieved.

The Kaj Franck and Industrial Art coin will be struck in .925 silver with a weight of 33.6 grams and a diameter of 38.6 mm. No information is yet available on the mintage for proof and FDC examples.

The Mint of Finland’s website can be viewed at: www.suomenrahapaja.fi

Mint of Finland’s Children and Creativity 20 Euro Coin

Michael Alexander — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 15:50:30 +0000

The Mint of Finland will issue a new coin dedicated to “Children and Creativity”, which was designed by a member of the public. With more than one thousand votes cast, 17 year old Roope Määttä’s design was the winning entry.

This is the first time a Finnish collector coin has been selected by a popular vote. Visitors to the Mint’s website had the opportunity to vote for their favorite among 11 entries which were submitted by students at senior secondary schools specializing in arts.

The coin, entitled “Beyond this Horizon”, captures the moment when the seemingly impossible has been achieved and sights have been set on the next challenge.

“My work also symbolizes the idea that it’s important to remember your roots,” Määttä said.

The coin will be struck in time for its general sale to collectors on the October 20, 2010. The nominal face value is 20 Euros, and coins struck in .925 silver, with a weight of 33.6 grams and a diameter of 38.6 mm. Both proof (10,000 examples) and FDC (3,500 examples) will be available.

The coin represents the second issue in the “Ethical Collector Coins” series. The first coin in the series, entitled “Peace and Security”, was issued in 2009.

The Mint of Finland’s website can be viewed at: www.suomenrahapaja.fi

Mint of Finland Begins New Series Dedicated to Provinces

Michael Alexander — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:49:01 +0000

The Mint of Finland will issue two 5 Euro coins which begin a new series of coins dedicated to the provinces of Finland.

There are nine historical provinces of Finland: Åland, Tavastia, Karelia, Lapland, Ostro-bothnia, Satakunta, Savo, Uusimaa and Finland Proper. The two first coins will be issued in 2010 and the first two provinces represented in the series will be Finland Proper and Satakunta, respectively.

The nominal value of each coin will be 5 euro. They will be minted in bi-metalic form with a diameter of 27.25 mm. The coin centre is copper-nickel, the ring Nordic Gold. The reverse of each provincial coin features the historical province’s coat of arms and the face value of 5 EURO.

For more information including the date of issue, please visit the website of the Mint of Finland at: www.suomenrahapaja.fi

Estonian Euro Coin Production Begins at Mint of Finland

Michael Alexander — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:50:55 +0000

As the Republic of Estonia prepares for the adoption of the Euro on the 1st January 2011, the Mint of Finland has announced that coin production for the Estonian version of the single currency has begun.

The appearance of the coins was decided by a public vote within Estonia. The winning design by Lembit Löhmus was chosen from hundreds of entries submitted. All the Euro coins feature the same theme incorporating an image of the map of Estonia with the word EESTI (Estonia) beneath. Also on the national side of Estonian euro coins is the year of minting in addition to the 12 stars of the European Union.

Estonia is now the eighth country for which the Mint of Finland produces euro coins. They have been producing Estonian collector coins since 2004. The Mint’s Managing Director Paul Gustafsson commented, "No other mint in the world produces euro coins for as many different countries as the Mint of Finland."

Estonia re-introduced their national currency the Kroon in 1992 after the re-establishment of Independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Banknotes introduced were the 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 100 and 500 Krooni, with a 50 Krooni banknote introduced in 1994. Coins of 5, 10, 20 and 50 senti along with 1 and 5 krooni coins were introduced in stages between 1992 and 2001. The kroon was established with a permanent pegged rate of 8 Krooni equaling one Deutsche Mark. When the German mark was pegged to the EURO in 1999, Estonia gained an automatic exchange rate of 15.64 Krooni.