We don’t cover as much of the Eastern European coin world as we used to, and that’s going to change in 2023. Particularly in the Baltic States, there’s a recent trend of using heavily stylised designs to represent traditional ideas, and they’ve had their fair share of awards for their efforts. The latest coin from the Latvian national bank, Latvijas Banka, is called ‘Upward’  and is issued to celebrate the bank’s own 100th anniversary. They describe it thus –

“The authors of the graphic design of the “Upward” coin are artists Krista and Reinis Dzudzilo. The name of the coin in Latvian bears an association with an upward movement and a river. It also includes an allegory of overcoming gravity. A man also overcomes gravity when climbing upward, or else he would never see the mountain top. The obverse features nine steps with a smooth mirror surface set in relief, providing a glimpse of the eternal present and also the future, which is man himself. A human life is a journey. The upper step is a gold-plated segment of a circle bearing an association with the edge of a rising sun and visually resembling the logotype of Latvijas Banka. The reverse is gold-plated and frosted. It shines in gold like a precious sun fountain or a serene gold surface of a lake ready to quench our thirst.”

Okay, I’m the first to admit the description is a little pretentious, it’s just a bank after all, but the coin is gorgeous in its simplicity, and highly distinctive as a result. The combination of bold lines, stepped relief, and partial gilding, along with the ultra-clean, fully gilded obverse, makes for an attractive piece of numismatic design. The subject might not transition internationally, but who cares, as the coin certainly stands on its own merits. The mintage is set at 5,000 pieces, is struck by the Lithuanian Mint, and it will be available to buy from Tuesday 01 November.

LINK: BANK OF LATVIA COIN SALES