Face value: 1 lats
Weight: 4.80 g, diameter 21.75 mm
Metal: cupro-nickel
Struck in 2010 by Staatliche Münze
Berlin (Germany)
Artists: Edgars Folks (graphic design), Jānis Strupulis
(plaster model)
Obverse
The large coat of arms of the Republic of Latvia, with the
year 2010 inscribed below, is placed in the centre. The inscriptions
LATVIJAS and REPUBLIKA, each arranged in a semicircle, are above and
beneath the central motif respectively.
Reverse
A toad is in the centre, with the numeral 1 and superscript
inscription LATS above.
Edge
Two inscriptions LATVIJAS BANKA (Bank of Latvia), separated by
rhombic dots.
The toad family in Latvia is represented by the common, green,
and running toad, and the fire-bellied toad and European common
spadefoot, also generally referred to as 'toad', are protected species
as is the running toad which was honoured as the Latvian animal-of-the
year in 2007. The peculiarities of the way a toad looks, its ability to
secrete a foul smelling fluid, and the metamorphosis from a tadpole to
an adult are at the basis of many folk beliefs.
The toad is active at night and also in rainy weather, so seeing a toad in bright daylight meant impending rain to those in the know. The Latvians of old considered the toad a creature of the so-called Milk Mother; hence a toad should be honoured by leaving out a bowl of milk - then it would make the cows produce more milk. The House Spirit was also said to sometimes take the form of a toad, so toads were allowed in the house and feed-lot and fed. The special Latvian pagan deity, Mother of Satiation, appeared as a toad to leap around food and lend it satiety.
The toad is associated with fertility: in the ancient Latvian folksongs it carries the water for the beer brewing ritual; its presence helps the harvest. Like the grass snake, the toad was considered to bring blessing to cattle, therefore he who killed a toad risked to have cows go dry and the skin on his hands turn toadlike. By contrast, to circle around a toad three times guarantees good fortune. We are entrusting the toad with just this mission: to bring luck and good fortune to each household where money is spent prudently.