Published: 21.09.2018

On Wednesday, 26 September, Latvijas Banka is issuing a 2 euro commemorative coin dedicated to Zemgale. This coin concludes the series of 2 euro commemorative coins dedicated to Latvia's cultural and historical regions. The series is one of Latvijas Banka's contributions to the centenary of Latvia. The 2 euro commemorative coin depicting the coat of arms of Vidzeme was issued in 2016, but the coins featuring the coats of arms of Kurzeme and Latgale – last year.

On 26 September, the new 2 euro commemorative coin will be issued concurrently with a special coin set in souvenir packing consisting of the four coins dedicated to Latvia's cultural and historical regions.

Latvijas Banka continues the tradition of minting circulation coins of special design in Latvia. Each year, every euro area country is entitled to issue two 2 euro circulation coins of special design or commemorative coins as well as one more commemorative coin within a joint programme of several euro area countries provided that such a programme is organised.

Euro commemorative coins are legal tender in the Republic of Latvia and other euro area countries. Thus, in the run-up to the centenary of our country, the commemorative coins with the coats of arms of Latvia's cultural and historical regions will travel across Europe telling a story of Latvia.

The graphic design of the national side of the new commemorative coin has been created by artist Laimonis Šēnbergs, but the author of the plaster model is Jānis Strupulis. Laimonis Šēnbergs is the Deputy Chairman of the Coin Design Commission of Latvijas Banka and author of the graphic design of several prize-winning collector coins. Jānis Strupulis has created the graphic design of two coins and plaster models of several dozens of Latvijas Banka's collector and circulation coins. The European side of these euro commemorative coins bearing the nominal value (artist Luc Luycx) is the same as that of other 2 euro circulation coins, including material and size.

The national side of the commemorative coins issued by Latvijas Banka features the inscription "LATVIJA", and the edge of the coin, like all other 2 euro circulation coins of the Republic of Latvia, features the inscription "DIEVS * SVĒTĪ * LATVIJU *". The new 2 euro coin has been minted by Staatliche Münze Baden-Württemberg (Germany).

The division of Latvia into cultural and historical regions (Vidzeme, Latgale, Kurzeme and Zemgale) is stipulated by Article 3 of Satversme (the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia). As a contribution to Latvia's centenary, Latvijas Banka is issuing four euro commemorative coins featuring the coats of arms of Latvia's cultural and historical regions.

The symbols incorporated in the coats of arms established by the Regulations on Coats of Arms of Latvia's Regions, adopted on 26 April 1930 and having statutory effect, are related to historical developments in the present-day territory of Latvia. In 2012, a special law was passed to lay down legal protection of these coats of arms as national symbols. They were created by artist Kārlis Krauze (1904–1942) in 1930, and the coat of arms of Zemgale features a silver elk on a blue background.

Zemgale is the only cultural and historical region of Latvia bordering Kurzeme, Vidzeme and Latgale. It ranks among the most fertile Northern European regions, and its cereal fields have brought prosperity to the region for many centuries. The area is also well-known for its abundance of rivers and rich history, in which a major role is played by Semigallians' fight for freedom in the 13th century.

The new commemorative coins will be circulated in the same way as any other circulation money, reaching commercial and other enterprises as well as the general public through banks. As of Wednesday, 26 September, the coins will be available for exchange at the Cashier's Offices of Latvijas Banka in Riga and Liepāja. The mintage of the coin is 0.5 million pieces. Experience of Latvijas Banka shows that this quantity is sufficient to allow interested parties to exchange the coin over a period of at least several weeks. The total mintage of 2 euro commemorative coin dedicated to Zemgale in souvenir packing is 7 000 coins, out of which 2 000 coins are included in a special coin set. Thus, it will be possible to purchase 5 000 coins of Brilliant Uncirculated quality in a special souvenir packing. The price of the coin at Cashier's Offices of Latvijas Banka will be 7.30 euro.

2 000 coin sets, consisting of the four 2 euro commemorative coins dedicated to Latvia's cultural and historical regions, will be available in a special souvenir packing. The price of the set at Cashier's Offices of Latvijas Banka will be 29.00 euro.

Zemgale-kartite-komplekts

Numismatic products will be available for purchase online via Latvijas Banka's collector coin and other numismatic product site at e-monetas.lv offering a wide range of collector coins and other numismatic products of Latvijas Banka. The site e-monetas.lv will also offer numismatic products to legal persons in Latvia. Coins for exchange, including in rolls, will be available only at Cashier's Offices of Latvijas Banka.

The site e-monetas.lv can be used by both individuals and Latvia's businesses. The possibility to pay by VISA, VISA Electron, MasterCard and Maestro payment cards as well as via the internet banks of JSC Swedbank, JSC Citadele banka and JSC SEB banka has been ensured on the above site. All purchased coins and numismatic products can be collected at Cashier's Offices of Latvijas Banka in Riga and Liepāja (for their addresses, see https://www.bank.lv/par-mums/klientu-kase) as well as by using express delivery services of SJSC Latvijas Pasts, within the territory of Latvia. This is convenient for customers, e.g. from more distant regions, who cannot visit the Cashier's Offices of Latvijas Banka on the initial days of launching a new coin or due to their work engagements or other reasons. e-monetas.lv can also be used to purchase numismatic products by individuals and legal persons abroad. The products are currently delivered to 35 countries – most EU countries, the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.