Finnish euro coins
Encyclopedia
Finnish euro coins feature three separate designs. Heikki Häiväoja provided the design for the 1 cent – 50 cent coins, Pertti Mäkinen provided the design for the 1 euro coin, and Raimo Heino provided the design for the 2 euro coin, which shows cloudberry
, the golden berry of northern Finland. All designs feature the 12 stars of the EU
and the year of imprint.
.
In Finland, the euro was introduced in 2002. However, the first sets of coins were minted, as preparation, in 1999. Hence the first euro coins of Finland have minted the year 1999 instead of 2002.
, Raimo Makkonen.
announced the following:
"The national sides of euro coins will be amended so that each issuing Member State will add its name or abbreviation (FI for Finland
) on the coins. On Finnish coins the first letter of the Mint of Finland’s President and CEO (M for Raimo Makkonen) will also be replaced with the Mint’s logo. Amendments to the national sides affect all denominations of euro coins.
"Each euro area Member State will decide on the schedule for the introduction of their new coins. In Finland the new coins will be put into circulation in January 2007. The current coins will remain valid, and coins in stock will be put into circulation as necessary. This way coins with the new designs will mix with the current coins in circulation."
Finland was the first state in the EMU
(European Monetary Union) to implement these changes.
and gold
, although some other materials are often used. Their face value range from 5 euro to 100 euro. This is mainly done as a legacy of old national practice of minting gold and silver coins. These coins are not really intended to be used as means of payment, so generally they do not circulate. Here you can find some samples:
" when tallying sums. Due in large part to the inefficiency of producing and accepting the 1 cent and 2 cent coins, Finland has opted to remove these coins from general circulation in order to offset the cost involved in accepting them.
While individual prices are still shown and summed up with € 0.01 precision, the total sum is then rounded to the nearest € 0.05 when paying with cash. Sums ending in € 0.01, € 0.02, € 0.06 and € 0.07 are rounded down to the nearest 5 cents; sums ending in € 0.03, € 0.04, € 0.08 and € 0.09 are rounded up to the nearest 5 cents.
The 1 cent and 2 cent coins are legal tender and are still minted for collector sets as required by the EMU agreement.
When paying in cash in Finland, while by law a shopkeeper should accept the coins, usually they will decline, and ask for higher denominations to match the Swedish rounding, even when presented with exact change.
Cloudberry
Rubus chamaemorus is a rhizomatous herb native to alpine and arctic tundra and boreal forest, producing amber-colored edible fruit similar to the raspberry or blackberry...
, the golden berry of northern Finland. All designs feature the 12 stars of the EU
European symbols
A number of symbols of Europe have emerged throughout history. Depending on the symbol, they can apply to Europe as a whole, European unity or merely to the European Union...
and the year of imprint.
Finnish euro design
For images of the common side and a detailed description of the coins, see euro coinsEuro coins
There are eight euro coin denominations, ranging from one cent to two euros . The coins first came into use in 2002. They have a common reverse, portraying a map of Europe, but each country in the eurozone has its own design on the obverse, which means that each coin has a variety of different...
.
In Finland, the euro was introduced in 2002. However, the first sets of coins were minted, as preparation, in 1999. Hence the first euro coins of Finland have minted the year 1999 instead of 2002.
First series (2002–2006)
Finnish euro coins dated 1999–2006 carry the mint mark M which is the initial of the mint master at The Mint of FinlandFinland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, Raimo Makkonen.
Second series (2007–present)
In December 2006, the Bank of FinlandBank of Finland
The Bank of Finland is the central bank of Finland. It is the fourth oldest central bank in the world.-History:The Bank of Finland was established on 1 March in 1812 in the city of Turku by Alexander I of Russia. In 1819 it was relocated to Helsinki...
announced the following:
"The national sides of euro coins will be amended so that each issuing Member State will add its name or abbreviation (FI for Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
) on the coins. On Finnish coins the first letter of the Mint of Finland’s President and CEO (M for Raimo Makkonen) will also be replaced with the Mint’s logo. Amendments to the national sides affect all denominations of euro coins.
"Each euro area Member State will decide on the schedule for the introduction of their new coins. In Finland the new coins will be put into circulation in January 2007. The current coins will remain valid, and coins in stock will be put into circulation as necessary. This way coins with the new designs will mix with the current coins in circulation."
Finland was the first state in the EMU
Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union
The Economic and Monetary Union is an umbrella term for the group of policies aimed at converging the economies of members of the European Union in three stages so as to allow them to adopt a single currency, the euro. As such, it is largely synonymous with the eurozone.All member states of the...
(European Monetary Union) to implement these changes.
Circulating Mintage quantities
The following table shows the mintage quantity for all Finnish euro coins, per denomination, per year (the numbers are represented in millions).| Face Value | €0.01 | €0.02 | €0.05 | €0.10 | €0.20 | €0.50 | €1.00 | €2.00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 8.01 | 1.70 | 63.29 | 133.43 | 42.26 | 20.61 | 16.12 | 16.00 |
| 2000 | 7.51 | 13.85 | 56.57 | 167.36 | 0.41 | 67.01 | 36.55 | 8.59 |
| 2001 | 0.41 | 0.41 | 213.67 | 14.64 | 121.67 | 4.34 | 13.77 | 29.04 |
| 2002 | 0.51 | 0.51 | 101.68 | 1.35 | 100.61 | 1.0 | 13.97 | 1.24 |
| 2003 | 6.54 | 6.54 | 0.54 | 0.54 | 0.54 | 0.54 | 0.54 | 8.83 |
| 2004 | 9.57 | 7.90 | 0.51 | 0.51 | 0.51 | 0.51 | 5.41 | 8.96 |
| 2005 | 5.72 | 5.72 | 0.72 | 0.72 | 0.72 | 4.72 | 7.85 | 8.72 |
| 2006 | 3.92 | 3.92 | 0.92 | 0.92 | 0.92 | 6.77 | 1.63 | 8.42 |
| 2007 | 2.92 | 2.92 | 0.92 | 0.92 | 0.92 | 0.92 | 0.92 | 5.14 |
| 2008 | 1.44 | 1.44 | 0.94 | 0.94 | 0.94 | 7.94 | 0.94 | 8.24 |
| 2009 | 0.93 | 0.93 | 0.93 | 0.93 | 0.93 | 6.93 | 0.93 | 6.25 |
| 2010 | 0.80 | 0.80 | 0.80 | 0.80 | 0.80 | 0.80 | 0.80 | 5.60 |
| 2011 | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** |
Identifying marks
| National Identifier | "FI" |
| Mint Mark |  |
| Head of the Mint Initials | M (Mr. Raimo Makkonen; before 2006) |
| €2 Edge inscription | |
Other commemorative coins (Collectors' coins)
Finland has a good collection of euro commemorative coins, mainly in silverSilver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
and gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
, although some other materials are often used. Their face value range from 5 euro to 100 euro. This is mainly done as a legacy of old national practice of minting gold and silver coins. These coins are not really intended to be used as means of payment, so generally they do not circulate. Here you can find some samples:
Usage of 1 cent and 2 cent coins
Finnish businesses and banks have employed a method known as "Swedish roundingSwedish rounding
Swedish rounding is rounding the basic cost of a purchase which is to be paid for in cash to the nearest multiple of the smallest denomination of currency...
" when tallying sums. Due in large part to the inefficiency of producing and accepting the 1 cent and 2 cent coins, Finland has opted to remove these coins from general circulation in order to offset the cost involved in accepting them.
While individual prices are still shown and summed up with € 0.01 precision, the total sum is then rounded to the nearest € 0.05 when paying with cash. Sums ending in € 0.01, € 0.02, € 0.06 and € 0.07 are rounded down to the nearest 5 cents; sums ending in € 0.03, € 0.04, € 0.08 and € 0.09 are rounded up to the nearest 5 cents.
The 1 cent and 2 cent coins are legal tender and are still minted for collector sets as required by the EMU agreement.
When paying in cash in Finland, while by law a shopkeeper should accept the coins, usually they will decline, and ask for higher denominations to match the Swedish rounding, even when presented with exact change.