Honey Coin (video; description), based on Artūrs Analts' work which was awarded the first prize in the competition for the best design of an innovative collector coin, has been voted Latvia's Coin of the Year 2018 in the traditional public vote. More than 9000 votes in total were received, with over 2700 giving preference to the Honey Coin.
The Honey Coin featuring honeycomb cells is quite an unusual silver collector coin plated with gold. Honeycomb cells form a rough outline of the geographic contour of Latvia and the Gulf of Riga. Various types of frosting are applied to achieve this effect. The shape of the coin is unique: several coins can be placed side by side like pieces of a puzzle to build up an even larger honeycomb the same way as bees do it in their hive. The coin was struck by UAB Lietuvos monetų kalykla (Lithuania).
Elīna Bērziņa, a representative of the Latvian National Museum of Art (LNMM), presented the special award of the expert commission of the LNMM. The Honey Coin Coin was recognised as the most artistic coin of the year 2018, said Elīna Bērziņa.
In cooperation with the news portal Delfi, Latvijas Banka held the public vote for Latvia's Coin of the Year 2018. The list of the lucky winners of one of the collector coins issued in 2018: Ināra Dreļevska, Kristīne Korna, Zinaīda Rabša, Zane Tutāne, Vitalijs Kulikovs, Kristaps Zubovskis, Vitālijs Smirnovs, Agita Žīgure, Andris Petrauskis, Dmitrijs Gribulis, Diāna Grosberga, Katrīne Šveida, Juris Zeps, Indra Iveta Gaile, Inguna Ķirse.
Latvijas Banka will contact the winners individually.
