Obverse. Photo © NumisCorner.com
  • 2 Euro 2017, KM# 254, Finland, Republic, 100th Anniversary of Independence of Finland
  • 2 Euro 2017, KM# 254, Finland, Republic, 100th Anniversary of Independence of Finland
  • 2 Euro 2017, KM# 254, Finland, Republic, 100th Anniversary of Independence of Finland, Roll
  • 2 Euro 2017, KM# 254, Finland, Republic, 100th Anniversary of Independence of Finland, Purse
Description

In 2017 Finland celebrated the centennial of its independence. This one-hundred-year-old has lived through love, loss and triumph, standing united. For one hundred years, the Finnish people have been building the independent nation that they call their own.

After the 1917 February Revolution, the position of Finland as part of the Russian Empire was questioned. Since the head of state was the tsar of Russia, it was not clear who the chief executive of Finland was after the revolution. After the abdication of Grand Duke Nicholas II on 2 March (15 March N.S.) 1917, the personal union between Russia and Finland lost its legal base – at least according to the view in Helsinki. There were negotiations between the Russian Provisional Government and Finnish authorities.

On 2 November (15 November N.S.) 1917, Vladimir Lenin declared a general right of self-determination, including the right of complete secession, "for the Peoples of Russia". On the same day the Finnish Parliament issued a declaration by which it assumed, pro tempore, all powers of the Sovereign in Finland.

Obverse

Depicts a mosaic (many dots) forming the cartographic image of Finland (the silhouette of the map of Finland). The name of the country in Finnish and Swedish and the years 1917 and 2017 are also shown. The Mint of Finland’s logo (lion) and FI as an abbreviation for country of issue on the right. The coin's outer ring depicts the 12 stars of the European flag.

The same image is repeated on the reverse of the Independent Finland 100 Years gold coin released in 2017.

Engraver: Simon Örnberg

SUOMI 1917
FINLAND 2017
Fl

Reverse

A geographical map of Western Europe spans the outer ring and inner core on the right side of the coin. The inscription 2 EURO is superimposed over the map of Europe, with the numeral “2” located in an open field representing the eastern Atlantic Ocean.

12 stars are located on the right side of the outer ring, with six stars atop the map of Europe and six stars below it; six vertical stripes cut across the inner core of the coin, visually connecting the upper and lower star segments.

Luc Luycx, a designer at the Royal Belgian Mint, designed the Euro’s common reverse; his initials, LL, are seen on the right side of the design, just under the “O” in “EURO.”

2 EURO
LL

Edge

The edge reads SUOMI FINLAND (the name of the country in Finnish and Swedish, its two official languages) and contains three lion heads

SUOMI FINLAND

Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Circulating)
Material Bi-Metallic
Ring Cupronickel
Center Nickel Brass
Weight 8.5 g
Diameter 25.75 mm
Thickness 2.2 mm
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Mint of Finland

Related coins

100th Anniversary of Independence of Finland

Silver, 25.5 g, ⌀ 38.6 mm