Latvia Euro Circulation Coin Design Competition 2004

The competition for the design of the national side of Latvian Euro Circulation Coins.

17-08-2004

Obverse sides of Latvian euro coins to portray Latvian woman in a folk costume, the Freedom monument and the Latvian coat-of-arms In the competition organised by the Bank of Latvia to single out the best ideas for design of Latvian euro coins, the winning title was awarded to Ilze Kalnina from the town of Jekabpils. Under a common motto "Freedom – an European value!", Kalnina proposed the 2 euro coin to portray an image of a Latvian woman in a folk costume, the 1 euro coin to portray the Freedom monument, while the euro cents would be decorated by the coat-of-arms of Latvia. The three images convey the essence of Latvia and core values of the Latvian nation – love of one's Fatherland, desire and struggle for its freedom and pride in one's homeland and nation, considers the jury of the competition.

Source: The Saeima EU Information Centre (17.08.2004)

Visual conception of the design

The Bank of Latvia together with artists continues to work on the visual conception of the design of Latvia's euro coins. In this work the results of the open idea competition organised in the first half of 2004, as well as the general design specifications of the euro coins and the technical requirements of mints are taken into consideration.

At the idea competition the public opinion was clarified, namely, what the people of Latvia want to see on the reverse of Latvia's euro coins. Three motifs prevailed at the idea competition - the Monument of Freedom, a Latvian maiden featured on Latvia's 5 lats coin prior to World War II, and the coat of arms of the Republic of Latvia. These motifs are symbols of Latvia and its basic values - the people's love for their Fatherland, the longing and fight for freedom and pride in their country and people.

The Bank of Latvia will be able to strike euro coins only after having received the assessment of the European institutions on the maturity of Latvia to join the Economic and Monetary Union. According to the current strategy, Latvia could receive such an assessment approximately in the middle of 2007. Then there would be half a year left for striking and delivering the coins by the planned euro adoption time - January of 2008.

The Bank Of Latvia - Information to Euro Coin Collectors

The Winners

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.

Country
Latvia
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.	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 folk maiden depicted on the one-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 reverse of two-euro coin features the Freedom Monument whose construction was financed from the donations of the Latvian people and whose three stars symbolize the unity of the Latvian regions and have served as a guiding light for the nation throughout World War II and occupation years. The symbolism is rendered even more profound by the circle of European Union stars that protect the monument on the coin.

Latvia Euro Circulation Coin Design Competition 2004

The competition for the design of the national side of Latvian Euro Circulation Coins.

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Last update: 15-12-2004
by: Lex Liesemeijer
www.eurocoins.liesemeijer.com