All of the Baltic State mints have a track record of interesting and innovative coin designs. While the subject matter is often completely alien to the rest of the world, the sense of style imparted on their coins makes them popular regardless. Their track record at coin awards is proof enough that the work is of a high standard. A pair of new €5 Euro coins continue that trend.

The Bank of Latvia has today debuted its latest quirky design celebrating the countries entrepreneurial spirit. Produced in conjunction with the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the construction company Arčers Ltd, the coin is very striking in appearance. The reverse is composed of 25 facets, each meant to symbolise a year dedicated to entrepreneurship. The obverse is flat, which apparently “..represents the vast area of work to be populated by the values of nascent generations”. It also features a QR code with the message “Work with Courage, Determination and Responsibility!”. Like I said, unusual subject matters.

Another coin released recently harks back to a short-lived art company called “Baltars” from the 1920’s. This was a workshop dedicated to fine china and faience painting, the pride of Latvian national culture. The reverse of this one reproduces a plate titled ‘Dance’ from a talented artist called Romans Suta from 1927. An unusual art style (we seem to use the word unusual quite a bit here), it’s a very distinctive design. The obverse carries on the theme, looking like the underside of the plate and depicting the graphic mark of “Baltars”.

Both coins come boxed with a Certificate of Authenticity. The former coin is available today, the Baltars one has been out for a few weeks and we’ve seen them on Ebay for around the €75-100 mark. Nice to see refreshing, quirky coin designs of this standard on the market today. Both can be seen best in the videos below.

On Tuesday, 13 September, Latvijas Banka is issuing a 5 euro silver collector coin “National Entrepreneur”. This coin is dedicated to the achievements of Latvian entrepreneurs and honours their endeavour and contribution to reinforcing the economic independence and national self-confidence of the country.

The author of the coin’s graphic design is Paulis Liepa, and its plaster model has been created by Ivars Drulle. Paulis Liepa has authored the graphic design of collector coin “365”, the very last collector coin denominated in lats, while Ivars Drulle is the artist who created the graphic design and plaster model of the first euro collector coin “Ainažu jūrskola” as well as the obverse graphic design and plaster model of the “Riga Castle 500” coin.

Latvijas Banka expresses gratitude to the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and to the construction enterprise Arčers Ltd. for their cooperation in implementing the concept of the coin.

The coin “National Entrepreneur” is struck by UAB Lietuvos monetų kalykla (Lithuania). The obverse of the coin incorporates a QR code carrying a message for the coming generation of entrepreneurs, which reads: “WORK WITH COURAGE, DETERRMINATION AND RESPONSIBILITY!”. The reverse of the coin features 25 raised facets symbolising the years dedicated to entrepreneurship. The coin’s obverse is smooth and represents the extensive area of work that the future generations have to populate with their values.

Marking the anniversary of Latvia’s renewed independence or thinking about the state’s future, we have to remember that political independence cannot materialise without the country’s full economic self-sufficiency, to which the national entrepreneurs who create jobs and pay taxes are important contributors. The economic stability of the country is a guarantee of the prosperity of its inhabitants, and the foundation for this was the work of those entrepreneurial, courageous and responsible people who began to establish businesses right after Latvia regained its independence, who managed them through the twists and turns of economic development and who now can proudly look back on what they have achieved.

National entrepreneurs are building an enterprising state; they are boosting the hopes of the Latvian people for a better future inside and outside Latvia. This special collector coin, which shines as a jewel, is a dedication to their endeavour, showing how important the national entrepreneur is to Latvia.

The collector coin “National Entrepreneur” is legal tender in the Republic of Latvia; it is unlikely, however, to come into general circulation for, by nature, such collector coins are works of art and enjoy high demand from the numismatic community and other interested parties. The maximum mintage of the coin is limited to 3 000 coins.

On Tuesday, 9 August, Latvijas Banka is issuing a 5 euro silver collector coin of a unique shape “”Baltars”. Porcelain”. The coin dedicated to “Baltars”, the workshop of fine china and faience painting, the pride of Latvian national culture, has been designed by reproducing the image of the plate “Dance” (Romans Suta was the author of the composition; 1927) and in the shape of a plate.
The graphic design of the collector coin which is a miniature piece of art was created by artist Frančeska Kirke, also the author of the commemorative 1 lats coin featuring a horseshoe and the collector coin “Basketball”.

The coin “”Baltars”. Porcelain” has been minted by UAB Lietuvos monetų kalykla (Lithuania). The graphic mark of “Baltars” is depicted on one side of the coin; the other side features the reproduction of the plate “Dance” by Romans Suta (1927). The coin has been struck in the shape of a flat plate.

One of the greatest art treasures in the Latvian Cultural Canon is the impressive achievements of “Baltars”, the workshop where fine china was artistically painted in the 1920s. “Baltars” resulted from the idea of the Latvian painter, graphic artist and composition virtuoso Romans Suta (1896–1944) to create a cultural milieu corresponding to the era of modernism and its language of form. His intent mostly focused on interior design and applied arts where decorative ceramics was supposed to work as a peculiar accent of functionalist and constructivist aesthetics and ideology.

The masterpieces of decorative art made at “Baltars” matched the quality of the highest achievements of Art Deco and have become the pride of Latvian national culture. Latvijas Banka honours their cultural and historical significance by issuing a collector coin dedicated to “Baltars”.

The collector coin “”Baltars”. Porcelain” is legal tender in the Republic of Latvia, yet the release of such coins in circulation is highly unlikely, as they are in fact works of art and are in special demand among coin collectors and other interested parties. The maximum mintage of the coin is limited to 5 000.