The Bank of Latvia » For Coin Collectors » Collector Coins of the Bank of Latvia
Collector Coins of the Bank of Latvia
Money in form, collector coins are in
fact miniature works of art featuring the highlights in a nation’s
life. Such coins are usually made of gold, silver or other precious
metals of especially fine grade. As opposed to currency in circulation,
collector coins are usually not intended to be used as a means of
payment, but as a gift, souvenir or collector’s item. Consequently, the
price of collector coins is considerably higher than their nominal
value.
People like to purchase these and other coins as the holiday season or
important family events draw near. They are presented by public
institutions and during official state visits as an expressive and
beautiful souvenir from Latvia. Due to their high quality, Latvian
coins are popular among both domestic and foreign collectors.
Considering that the scale of value for those coins differs from that
of currency in circulation, they will not depreciate after the lats is
replaced by the euro. After the adoption of the euro, Latvia will
continue to issue collector coins featuring motifs of national
significance, with the only difference that they will be denominated in
euros.
The first Latvian collector coins were issued in November 1993 to mark the 75th Anniversary of the Republic of Latvia (in denominations of 2 lats, 10 lats and 100 lats). A souvenir set of circulation coins in a specially designed holder followed soon. Sets of circulation coins were issued also in 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2005.
A number of silver coins have been issued within the framework of the international coin programmes: the collector coin commemorating the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games (the year of issue 1995; dated 1994), the collector coin commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the United Nations (the year of issue 1995-1996; dated 1995), the collector coin dedicated to the history of seafaring Gaff-Sail Schooner Julia Maria (the year of issue 1996; dated 1995) and the collector coin dedicated to the endangered wildlife Corncrake (the year of issue 1997). In 1998, two silver coins dedicated to the history of seafaring were produced: one depicting a 12th century ship of Riga (dated 1997), another depicting the icebreaker Krisjanis Valdemars.
Several gold collector coins have been produced within the framework of the international coin programmes at Valcambi SA (Switzerland). In 2007, the coin Frigate Gekroente Ehlendt was issued within the framework of the coin programme History of Seafaring and the coin Gaff-Sail Schooner Julia Maria was issued within the coin programme The Smallest Gold Coins of the World. In 2008, the coin depicting the Great Guild's coat of arms was issued within the coin programme History of Gold.
To commemorate the 800th Anniversary of Riga, the Bank of Latvia issued a series of silver 10-lats coins, one for each century of Riga. The design of the coins, based on historical materials, was created by Laimonis Senbergs and Gunars Cilitis, modelled by Ligita Franckevica and Janis Strupulis. The series' coins were struck by the Royal Mint and put into circulation in 1996-1998.
In 1999, within the international coin programme Sydney 2000, the Bank of Latvia issued a golden collector coin featuring a javelin thrower and commemorating outstanding achievements by Latvian athletes at Olympic Games and the second collector coin dedicated to the endangered wildlife European Mink.
At the end of 1999, the Bank of Latvia issued a button-shaped silver collector coin. This coin is included in the international unique coin programme Millennium organised by the Royal Mint. The original idea belongs to Maija Barzdina, a mathematics teacher at Taurene elementary School, who entered it into a contest held by the Bank of Latvia.
In 2000, the Bank of Latvia supplemented the international coin programme Sydney 2000 with another silver collector coin Track Cycling and issued a collector coin within the international UNICEF programme For the Children of the World. A motif of a child standing against a background of a river, mountains and sun is depicted on the reverse of the coin. Guna Barbale, an 11-year-old girl from Ludza, made this drawing. Participation in the international coin programme Hansa Cities started (the coin Ventspils).
In 2001, the Bank of Latvia started implementation of a new national coin programme Latvia. Times and Values. The programme consists of four coin series, each comprising three coins. The first series Roots commemorates eternal values. Three silver collector coins Earth, Heaven (both in 2001) and Destiny (2002) have already been issued within this programme.
In 2001, the coin Cesis (within the international coin programme Hansa Cities), the collector Coin Ice Hockey dedicated to the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, as well as the Coin of Fortune were issued.
In 2002, the Bank of Latvia issued a collector coin dedicated to the National Library of Latvia. The coin Kuldiga was offered to the public within the series Hansa Cities, complemented by the coin Valmiera in 2003. Also, the collector coin Greco-Roman Wrestling has been struck in honour of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and the 5-lats collector coin issued within the Program The Smallest Gold Coins of the World.
In 2003, the coin Courland was issued within the series Time of the national coin programme Latvia. Times and Values.
In 2004, the coins Vidzeme and Latgale were issued within the national coin programme Latvia. Times and Values. Also the collector coin Latvia – EU 2004 and the Coin of Time, a unique commemorative bimetallic coin struck in niobium, have already been issued.
As the final tournament of the world football championship approached and recent successes had generated new interest in football in Latvia, at the beginning of 2005 the Bank of Latvia issued a silver collector coin dedicated to 2006 FIFA World Cup as part of an international coin programme. In 2005, the series Hansa Cities was complemented by the coin Koknese, a coin dedicated to the poet Rainis was offered to the public within the series People of the coin programme Latvia. Times and Values, and the coin Art Nouveau. Riga was issued within the program The Smallest Gold Coins of the World. In 2005 two coins, Bobsleigh and Ice Hockey World Championship, were issued to mark sports events. The coin dedicated to the "Baron Münchhausen" and the protagonists of his stories has also been put into circulation.
At the beginning of 2006 the Bank of Latvia issued a silver collector coin commemorating the barricades of January 1991. In 2006, the coins Krisjanis Valdemars and Krisjanis Barons of the series People and the first coin Fight for Freedom of the series State have already been issued within the national coin programme Latvia. Times and Values. Also the coin Straupe was issued within the international coin programme Hansa Cities and the Coin of Digits within the national coin programme.
By issuing the collector coins Foreign Rulers and Rebirth of the State, the Bank of Latvia has completed the national collector coin programme Latvia. Times and Values in 2007. The collector coin Sigulda, the Coin of Time II, the Coin of Life and the collector coin The Golden Apple Tree (issued within the international coin programme Treasures of the World) were also put into circulation.
In 2008, the Bank of Latvia issued the Coin of Latvia, thus carrying out the project conceived by Teodors Zalkalns in 1922 to create a 20-lats gold coin. Within the international coin programme the European Heritage, two versions (silver and cupro-nickel) of the collector coin Song Festival have been released, the international coin programme Hansa Cities has been complemented by the collector coin Limbazi, and the coins Basketball, Lucky Coin, and Latvia 90, the latter dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the Republic of Latvia, were put into circulation.
