Obverse. Photo © NumisCorner.com
  • 2 Euro 2007, KM# 139, Finland, Republic, 90th Anniversary of Independence of Finland
  • 2 Euro 2007, KM# 139, Finland, Republic, 90th Anniversary of Independence of Finland
Description

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 nine-oar boat with rowers, symbolizing the whole period of Finland's independence at once: nine rowers and nine pairs of oar refer to the nine decades of independence. One can also distinguish the strings of the Finnish instrument Kantele, from the image. The year of issue, 2007, and the year of independence, 1917, appear above and below the image, respectively.

Cornucopia (logo of the Mint of Finland) appears on the left side and the inscription FI (Finland) on the right side.

The twelve stars of the European Union surround the design on the outer ring.

Engraver: Reijo Juhani Paavilainen

2007
FI
1917

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

FINLAND in Finnish and Swedish, the two official languages in Finland, followed by three lion's 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

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90th Anniversary of Independence of Finland

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