Published: 29.09.2017

Latvian collector coins "The Earth" and "Christmas Battles" gained recognition at Coin Constellation – 2017, the 11th international collector coin contest organised by the Water Mark Publishing House.

This week the results of the contest Coin Constellation – 2017 were announced in Moscow. 268 coins from 27 countries participated in the contest. Coins issued in 2016 could be submitted for the contest. An international panel of judges assessed the coins in eight award categories.

The Coin "The Earth", made of perlucor with a silver outer ring and issued by Latvijas Banka in 2016, was the winner in the category Original Technology. The author of the coin's graphic design is architect Mārcis Kalniņš. The jewel-like Earth is enclosed by a diaphanous veil representing the Universe where the planet Earth is floating as an island of life. The coin enables anyone to have a look at it from an unusual perspective in order to better grasp the insignificance of the Earth in the vastness of the Universe and its irreplaceable importance for us at the same time. Mārcis Kalniņš' idea of a translucent coin was the top winner at Latvijas Banka's competition of innovative euro coins in 2015. The collector coin "The Earth" has been struck by UAB Lietuvos monetų kalykla (Lithuania).

The silver collector coin "Christmas Battles" was awarded the second place in the category Successful Artistic Solution. The author of the coin's graphic design is Kristaps Ģelzis, and Ligita Franckeviča created its plaster model. This coin has also been struck by UAB Lietuvos monetų kalykla (Lithuania). The idea of the coin design emerged in Kristaps Ģelzis' mind when he visited the Christmas Battle Museum in Jelgava County. He was deeply impressed by some small details: cartridge cases, a belt buckle deformed by an impact of a bullet, rust from a shrapnel in a tree trunk, and barely visible old entrenchments.   

The coins "Christmas Battles" and "The Earth" (included in the coin set "Reflection of the Universe in Coins") are still available at the Cashier's Offices of Latvijas Banka in Riga and Liepāja (https://www.bank.lv/par-mums/klientu-kase) as well as online via Latvijas Banka's electronic trading platform at e-monetas.lv.

Coin Constellation is a contest in which Latvia has successfully participated since 2007. In 2016, the coin "Rainis and Aspazija" was the winner in the nomination Unique Concept and the coin "500 Years of Livonian Ferding" was awarded the second place in the category Coin Classic, whereas the coin "Baltic Way" won the second prize in the nomination Silver Coin of the Year in 2015. For further information about these and other collector coins currently on sale, see e-monetas.lv. 

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