Three lions within a shield, wreath surrounds, date below, the full title of the Republic of Estonia (EESTI VABARIIK) above.

After the proclamation of independence on the 24th of February 1918, the three lions of the coat of arms of the Government of Estonia were placed on the newly minted coins of the Republic. The lions are passant guardant again like in the coat of arms of Duke Otto (the second son of Christoffer II, Prince of Denmark, Duke of Estonia and Laaland), but not crowned.

In fact, it is this coat of arms that came to be the coat of arms of Estonia because it appears on the seal of the city of Reval (Tallinn) used from 1340 until 1390. On this seal the coat of arms is supported by duke Otto himself.

One of the lions symbolizes the courage of the fight for freedom in ancient times. The second stands for the courage in the uprisings in Harjumaa in 1343. The third represents the courage of the Estonian fight for freedom between 1918-1920. The wreath of oak leaves stands for the perseverance and strength of Estonia and the evergreen traditions of freedom.

Design: Georg Vestenberg

Depicts the image of a 13th-century Viking cargo ship (knarr) at sea, under which the inscription 1 kroon appears.

Knarr is the Old Norse term for a type of ship built for long sea voyages and used during the Viking expansion. The knarr was a cargo ship; the hull was wider, deeper and shorter than a longship, and could take more cargo and be operated by smaller crews. It was primarily used to transport trading goods like walrus ivory, wool, timber, wheat, furs and pelts, armour, slaves, honey, and weapons. It was also used to supply food, drink, weapons and armour to warriors and traders along their journeys across the Baltic, the Mediterranean and other seas.

Design: Günther Reindorff