Collector coins will be struck in 2015–2016 to celebrate the sports close to Finnish hearts. By decision of the Ministry of Finance, Mint of Finland will release the first Sports Coin, struck to celebrate gymnastics, on 6 July. The decree of the Ministry of Finance confirms the nominal value of one collector coin as EUR 5.
A total of nine coins paying tribute to different sports are slated for release in the Sports Coins series, with Gymnastics, Basketball, Figure Skating and Volleyball to be launched in 2015. The planned release schedule for 2016 includes Ice Hockey, Skiing, Football, Athletics and Ski Jumping.
“The Finnish people love sports, and sport has played a major role in building Finnish national consciousness and cohesion – and still does. We have common experiences of this from the nation's early history and recent times alike, at times of success and defeat. The Sports Coins will be a popular collector's item that will also interest the general public, in other words, all sports-loving Finns,” says Mint of Finland CEO Paul Gustafsson.
The decree of the Ministry of Finance on the sports coins is available here (in Finnish) http://finlex.fi/fi/laki/alkup/2015/20150599
Now is a great time to celebrate gymnastics
The first collector coin to be minted in the Sports Coins series pays tribute to gymnastics, one of the all-time most popular sports in Finland. The number of amateur gymnasts is estimated at 600,000, with approximately 150,000 active in sports clubs. All forms of gymnastics are constantly increasing in popularity in Finland. The Gymnastics coin is even more topical now, as Finland is hosting the international Gymnaestrada gymnastics event in Helsinki on 12–18 July.
Sports Coins will be packaged in new package types
The maximum mintages of the base metal sports coins with a nominal value of EUR 5 will be 50,000 UNC-quality and 10,000 proof-quality coins. Collector coins have a diameter of 27.25 millimetres and weigh 9.8 grams. The Sports Coins are designed by Nora Tapper.
Proof-quality, finished collector coins are offered in a protective transparent casing set in a new type of cardboard package with a fresh look. The price of a proof-quality collector coin is EUR 22.
We have also updated the packaging of our UNC-quality collector coins. UNC-quality coins are sold in paper coin envelopes for the price of EUR 10 each. Sports coins can also be purchased for their nominal value in cardboard boxes of ten UNC-quality coins, costing EUR 50.
Gymnastics, the collector coin opening the series, will be available to advance order from the Mint of Finland online shop on Wednesday 24 June. In addition to the online shop, the collector coin will be available for purchase from our retailers from its release date of 6 July. The next coin to be launched in the series will pay tribute to basketball.
For more information, please contact:
Auli Mikkonen
Communications and Marketing Coordinator
Mint of Finland
+358 40 660 5900
[email protected]
Mint of Finland Group designs, markets and manufactures coins, blanks and collector coins. Mint of Finland Group is the strongest mint in the euro zone and one of the largest global exporters of coins. The company is owned by the Republic of Finland. You can see how coins are produced at the About a Coin exhibition at the Heureka Science Centre. For more information about the 2015 events, please visit www.mint.fi
© Koodiviidakko Oy - Y-tunnus 1939962-1