The Mint of Finland has announced that they have presented special collector coins to members of the country’s junior hockey team following the team’s recent victory in the World Junior Hockey championships.
Finland’s team, the Young Lions, won the World Under-20 ice hockey championships in Helsinki on Tuesday with a gripping 4-3 victory over Russia. Finland has now won the World Juniors four times, with the previous victory coming in 2014. The tournament offers young players a unique stage to impress scouts ahead of NHL drafts, though it has not traditionally been as popular among Finnish audiences as it is in North America.
As acknowledgement of this victory and their efforts, the Mint of Finland present each team member with the freshly-minted Ice Hockey collector coins, to be officially released on January 14 in tribute to Finland’s national passion, ice hockey. The collector coin with a face value of five euros is part of the overall nine-coin series struck by Mint of Finland to pay homage to the many types of sports close to the hearts of the Finnish people. The 2016-dated ice hockey coin is the fifth in the series, with the remaining four coins due to be launched throughout this year.
Fans travelling to see the IIHF World Junior Championships held in Helsinki had the unique once-off opportunity to acquire the freshly minted Ice Hockey collector coin from Mint of Finland’s sales stand in the Hartwall Arena, prior the start of the advance order period. According to the Mint of Finland’s Communications Director, many fans also took advantage of this opportunity to purchase the coin.
Designed by veteran Mint of Finland artist Nora Tapper, the obverse design includes an action-inspired image of hockey as its being played by two players from opposing teams. The reverse depicts a stadium filled with supporters waving Finland’s national flag from the stands. The text “SUOMI FINLAND” and the year of issue are included across the surface, along with the coin’s face value.
| Denomination | Metal | Weight | Diameter | Quality | Mintage |
| 5 €URO | Bi-metallic | 9.8 Grams | 27.2 mm | UNC | 50,000 pieces |
| 5 €URO | Bi-metallic | 9.8 Grams | 27.2 mm | Proof | 10,000 pieces |
Proof-quality, individually finished collector coins are packaged in a protective transparent casing and set in a package bearing the IIHF World Junior Championships logo. UNC quality collector coins will be sold in paper coin envelopes bearing the tournament logo. The UNC coins are also available in boxes of ten coins.
The Mint of Finland online shop is now accepting advance orders for the Ice Hockey collector coins. After the release date of January 14, the coin will be available from the online shop and Mint of Finland’s retailers. For more information on this and other coins offered by the Mint of Finland, please visit their Web site. International sales will be dispatched where applicable.
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