Obverse. Photo © NumisCorner.com
  • 50 Centu 1997-2014, KM# 108, Lithuania
  • 50 Centu 1997-2014, KM# 108, Lithuania
  • 50 Centu 1997-2014, KM# 108, Lithuania, Type A (left) and type B (right)
Description

Withdrawn from circulation on 16 January 2015.

Designed by Antanas Žukauskas, Vytis adapted by Arvydas Každailis

Obverse

Depicts Vytis (symbol of the coat-of-arms), country name and date below.

The coat of arms of Lithuania, consisting of an armour-clad knight on horseback holding a sword and shield, is also known as Vytis. It is one of very few containing symbolism adopted from ducal portrait seals rather than from coats of arms of dynasties, which is the case for most European countries.

The knight on horseback without a specific name was mentioned in the Tobolsk Chronicle as a symbol of Narimantas. The charging knight is depicted on the seal of Grand Duke of Lithuania, Algirdas, dated 1366. The earliest coins featuring the knight come also from the last quarter of the 14th century; the other side of these coins depicts Columns of Gediminas. In the 14th century, the knight was featured on a heraldic shield. At the Battle of Grunwald in 1410, the major victory of the united Polish–Lithuanian army against the Teutonic Order, thirty Lithuanian regiments out of the total forty were flying the "charging knight" banner.

Different design varieties:
• Type A: left background hoof is aligned horizontally, flat lettering
• Type B: left background hoof is aligned diagonally, lettering struck more clearly

LIETUVA
2013

Reverse

Depicts value within an ornamental circle (an ornamental "fir-tree" pattern divided into fourteen equal parts).

50
CENTŲ

Edge

50 Centu

KM# 108 Schön# 37
Characteristics
Material Nickel Brass
Weight 6 g
Diameter 23 mm
Thickness 2.1 mm
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Lithuanian Mint (LMK)

Related coins

Bronze, 3.03 g, ⌀ 21 mm