The Origins of Euro Coins: Latvia

The All-Latvian competition of ideas for images to be depicted on the national side of the Latvian euro coins was announced on 21 January 2004. By the close of the competition on 1 April, the Bank of Latvia had received 1 088 proposals. The design of the reverse of the Latvian euro coins was chosen by a jury that was set up by the Bank of Latvia board and comprised of well-known artists, people knowledgeable about the national treasures and other experts. The winning proposal had been sent in by Ilze Kalnina who suggested that the portrait of a Latvian folk maiden, the Freedom Monument and the coat of arms of the Republic of Latvia be depicted on the coins. These three images symbolize Latvians' love of their native land, yearning and striving for freedom and pride in their nation while providing an insight into Latvian culture and tradition that are historically tied to Europe.



The folk maiden depicted on the one-euro and two-euro coin is a symbol of both traditional virtue and Latvian national currency, for it was this same portrait that adorned the reverse of the silver five-lats coin designed for the newly independent Latvian state by Rihards Zarins in the 1920s. This coin would become a guarded treasure during occupation and in exile and the issuance of its smaller replica in gold for the "World's Smallest Coins" series after Latvia regained independence marked the tenth anniversary of the restoration of the national currency.

The symbol of statehood gained and regained in the 20th century adorns the euro cent coins. The 50-, 20- and 10-euro-cent coins feature the great coat of arms of Latvia.

The 5-, 2- and 1-euro-cent coins feature the small coat of arms of Latvia.

Bank of Latvia's coin design commission chose artists for creating the models for the actual coins. The graphic design for the 1- and 2-euro coins was created by Guntars Sietins and the euro cent design by Laimonis Senbergs.

After the compliance of the design models for the Latvian euro coins to the European legislation is approved by the Euro Coins Subcommittee of the Economic and Financial Council (ECOFIN), euro coins with the Latvian national side will be struck and issued in accordance with the Latvian national euro introduction plan and the EU Council Resolution on the accession of the Republic of Latvia to the euro area.
 

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