Estonia: Winning €2 coin design unveiled celebrating centenary of Independence

April 28, 2017 By Michael Alexander Leave a Comment

The supervisory board of the Bank of Estonia (Eesti Pank) have confirmed the winning designs in their competition for the €2 coin dedicated to the centenary anniversary of the Republic of Estonia, which will be officially celebrated in February 2018. (This coin is separate from the joint commemorative issue of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, reported here, and from the Estonian coin commemorating the events leading up to independence, reported here.)

Estonian Independence was declared from Russia on the 24th February 1918, which is the day that is celebrated (the declaration was officially recognised by the Treaty of Tartu on the 2nd February 1920). This self-determination was short-lived, with Soviet forces occupying Estonia along with Latvia and Lithuania in 1944 when all three Baltic States were illegally incorporated into the USSR. Estonian independence would not be re-established until 1991, when the USSR once again recognised all three Baltic States as independent. Estonia is a member of the EU and NATO since 2004.

The €2 coin will feature the jubilee’s official national logo, which can be read as the numbers 18 and 100. This trick with the numbers unites the year of the state’s founding with the centenary anniversary. The winning designers are Ionel Lehari and Meelis Opmann of the concept-and-design agency Identity OÜ, which is also the agency behind the official logo for the Estonian centenary. Second place in the design competition went to Riho Luuse, and third to Heino Prunsvelt.

Estonia’s €2 commemorative coin, which will be a circulation coin within the euro-zone area, will have the usual common reverse side and a special commemorative design on the national or obverse side. As the coin is intended to symbolise and honour the people of Estonia, the mintage will be 1,317,800—the population of Estonia recorded on the 1st January 2017, according to data from Statistics Estonia. The coin will enter into circulation in early 2018 and will be valid as legal tender throughout the euro-zone area.

Once the coin is released, the winning designers will receive a prize of €2,000. The second-place design will win €700, and the third-place design, €500. Where designers have worked together on a single design, they will share the prize money. In total, there were 33 entries in the design competition for the €2 commemorative coin.

Please visit the website of the Bank of Estonia for more information on this and other coins it issues. ❑

BEFORE YOU COMMENT:

Coin Update is not a retail website. If you wish to buy a coin or banknote, you should contact a reputable dealer. One of our sponsors (see ads at right and top of page) may also have what you’re looking for, so be sure to check out their websites.
Per policy, we do not advise on the value, authenticity, or rarity of readers’ coins and banknotes. For this kind of assistance, you should contact a reputable dealer, preferably one who’s certified by the American Numismatic Association and/or the Professional Numismatists Guild.
Vulgar and/or abusive comments will not be tolerated. Nor will trolls.
Allegations of fraudulent or criminal activity against a named party, when said activity has not been proven in a court of law, will be removed.

U.S. Mint’s 2018 Silver Proof Set available April 24 at noon

The Mint’s highly anticipated 2018 Silver Proof Set (product code 18RH) will be available for purchase April 24, 2018, at 12:00 noon (ET). Each of the 10 coins included in the set possesses the “S” mint mark of the San Francisco Mint. There are currently no mintage, product, or household order limits. Each coin bears […]

Proof 1836 Classic Head quarter eagle highlights Heritage’s CSNS Auctions

April 26 Platinum Night features newly discovered 1856-O $20 Liberty Double Eagle Dallas, Texas (April 10, 2018) — A rare Proof specimen of the 1836 Classic Head Quarter Eagle and an extraordinary 1915-S Panama-Pacific Round $50 Gold Piece are among the rarities highlighting Heritage Auctions’ seven sessions as the official auctioneer of the Central States […]

Nicaragua: First coin in new Wildlife of Nicaragua series launches featuring the jaguar

The Banco Central de Nicaragua have issued the first coin in a new series which highlights the Central American country’s wildlife that is both prevalent, and in many cases, unique, to the country or region. The first coin features the elusive jaguar, a stealthy hunter and creature of immense beauty. The jaguar is the largest […]

Bowers on collecting: Keeping up with new coin issues

It was about 15 years ago when, with Whitman Publishing, I set about arranging a display of all of the coins issued during the administration of Ronald Reagan. I was shocked to realize that to include one each of all Mint State and Proof regular issues, plus ditto for commemoratives, plus ditto for gold and […]

Third Edition of Whitman’s Guide Book of Franklin and Kennedy Half Dollars expanded with new research and market analysis

(Pelham, Alabama) — Whitman Publishing announces the release of the updated and expanded new third edition of A Guide Book of Franklin and Kennedy Half Dollars, by professional numismatist Rick Tomaska. The 320-page book will be available from booksellers and hobby shops nationwide on May 8, 2018, for $19.95. Before then it is available for […]

Malta: New silver and gold coins celebrate 50th anniversary of Central Bank

The Central Bank of Malta have issued (17th April) new silver crown coin and gold Proof coins which are minted in celebration of their own institute, which was opened for the first time 50 years ago. In the wake of Maltese independence, which was achieved on the 21st September 1964, the need to establish a […]

Israel: Gold and silver collector coins issued to celebrate 70th anniversary of statehood

The Bank of Israel have issued (12th April) gold and silver collector coins in celebration and remembrance of the 70th anniversary of statehood, which was officially declared on the 14th May 1948, the day before the expiration of the British administration of what was previously referred to as the Mandate of Palestine. Israel would be admitted as […]

Federal grand jury indicts coin dealer for sale of counterfeit coins, mail fraud

A Minnesota federal grand jury has returned a six-count criminal indictment charging coin dealer Barry Ron Skog with five counts related to the sale of counterfeit coins and one count of mail fraud. According to the indictment filed April 10 in U.S. District Court, the 67-year-old Skog owned and operated a business called Burnsville Coin […]

Philippines: New generation of circulation piso and sentimo coins launched

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) — Central Bank of the Philippines have launched (26th March) six new circulation type coins which have entered general use. The new denominations include 10, five, and one-piso values as well as 25, five, and one-sentimo denominations — all of which have undergone completely new designs and specifications. The six […]

Portugal: Europa gold and silver coins celebrate and feature the Baroque Age

The Impresa Nacional — Casa da Moeda (INCM) have launched (12th April) their latest inclusions in the current and ongoing Europa series of numismatic tributes to the Ages of Europe, reflecting some of the most important European artistic movements. This year the theme is that of the Baroque Era with coin designs highlighting the styles […]