Latvijas Banka issues a gold collector coin "The Golden Horses"

On Wednesday, 15 November, Latvijas Banka is issuing a gold collector coin "The Golden Horses" dedicated to the theme of the golden horse that is widely represented in mythology and literary works.

The collector coin will be available for purchase only on the website e-monetas.lv from 12.00 (noon) on 15 November. Mail delivery or personal pickup from Latvijas Banka Cashier's Offices at Bezdelīgu iela 3, Riga, will be possible. To smooth out the customer flow on the premises, the order pickup at Latvijas Banka Cashier's Offices will be organised according to a balanced schedule.

The graphic design of the coin was created by Ivars Heinrihsons whose creative work resonates deeply with the theme of the horse.

In the words of the artist, the coin's content is inspired by a popular Latvian folk song and the golden Latvian sea as well as by the ancient Greek myth of the horses pulling the chariot of Poseidon, the god of the sea. Both inspirations are brought together by the supernatural manifestation of radiance in the form of horses. Gold is linked associatively and visually to the sun, the "golden saddle" – to its radiance in the sea. For Latvians and their kindred peoples, the colour of gold is associated with divinity and celestial deities, most of all, the Sun as a deity.

The theme of the golden horse also plays a major role in Latvian literature. The impact of Rainis' play "The Golden Horse" extends far beyond the usual school curriculum as it is one of the most important works of Latvian literature.

The price of the coin is 125.00 euro; the purchase limit for one buyer will be 3 coins. The mintage of the coin is 2500. The coin has been struck by UAB Lietuvos monetų kalykla in Lithuania.

GOLDEN HORSES

Face value: 5 euro

Weight: 1.24 g

Diameter: 13.92 mm

Metal: 999.9°gold

Quality: proof

Maximum mintage: 2500 pieces

Minted in 2023 by UAB Lietuvos monetų kalykla (Lithuania)

Artists

Graphic design: Ivars Heinrihsons

Plastic formation: Jānis Strupulis

Obverse

The obverse of the coin depicts two horses with their right legs raised up and with crowns upon their heads, the inscription "5 EURO" is semi-circled to the left of the coin.

Reverse

The reverse features a carriage wheel in the centre of the coin, the inscription "LATVIJA" is semi-circled above it slightly to the left, the year "2023" is placed under the picture slightly to the right.

Edge

Reeded.

Activity of Latvijas Banka regarding the issuance of collector coins and 2 euro commemorative coins

Since 1993, Latvijas Banka has issued 98 lats collector coins and 50 euro collector coins. Overall, more than 50 artists from Latvia and now also 1 artist from Ukraine have participated in designing Latvian coins.

Latvian coins have received high international recognition and a number of prestigious awards; moreover, the "Coin of Latvia" won the international 2010 Coin of the Year Award at the contest organised by US Krause Publications and its magazine World Coin News. In 2015, the silver collector coin "The Baltic Way" was recognised as the Best Contemporary Event Coin at this contest, whereas in 2018, the collector coin "National Entrepreneur" was named the Most Artistic Coin of the Year. At the competition Coin of the Year Awards (COTY) in 2020, the "Honey coin", Latvijas Banka's collector coin, was announced the world's Most Artistic Coin and the Coin of the Year.

The Coin Design Commission of Latvijas Banka (the former Commission for the Thematic Concept of the Banknotes and Coins), which has been active since 12 November 1993, plays an important role in the coin issuing process. The Commission consists of the employees of Latvijas Banka, outstanding Latvian experts in art and culture as well as artists and scientists.

After the euro changeover, Latvijas Banka carries on the tradition of issuing collector coin series with motifs characteristic of Latvia and executed in high artistic quality. These coins are legal tender only in the issuing country. They are unlikely to come into general circulation, for, by nature, they are works of art enjoying high demand from the numismatic community and other interested parties.

The face value of collector coins must differ from that of coins in general circulation (it must be, e.g. 5 euro or 10 euro). Their specifications, including colour, diameter, weight, material, etc. have to be cardinally distinctive from those of the coins in general circulation.

For information on the collector coins on sale at e-monetas.lv/en and Latvijas Banka Cashier's Offices, see https://www.e-monetas.lv/en and https://monetas.bank.lv/en/coins-for-sale.

The issuance of 2 euro commemorative coins (2 euro circulation coins of special design) is another area of coin art. Each year, every euro area country is entitled to issue two 2 euro commemorative coins (similar to 1 lats special circulation coins previously issued in Latvia), featuring events of national, European or global significance. The euro area countries can additionally produce a third 2 euro commemorative coin, provided that it is issued jointly and that it commemorates events of European Union-wide importance.

Commemorative coins bear the same features and the same common or European side as the normal 2 euro circulation coins, while their national sides differ and feature a national commemorating motif.

Euro commemorative coins are legal tender throughout the euro area. This means they can be used – and must be accepted – just like any other euro coin.