Description

In commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the Finnish flag, the first Finnish colour collector silver coin was issued in 2008.

The flag of Finland, also called siniristilippu ("Blue Cross Flag") replaced the reddish-yellow lion flag in May 1918. On a white background, it features a blue Nordic cross, which represents Christianity.

Like Sweden's, Finland's national flag is based on the Scandinavian cross. It was adopted after independence from Russia in 1917, when many patriotic Finns wanted a special flag for their country, but its design dates back to the 19th century. The blue colouring is said to represent the country's thousands of lakes and the sky, with white for the snow that covers the land in winter. This colour combination has also been used over the centuries in various Finnish provincial, military, and town flags.

The collector coin is part of the Europa Coin Programme, also known as the European Silver Programme, or the Eurostar Programme. It is an initiative dedicated to the issuance of collector-oriented legal tender coins in precious metals to celebrate European identity. The issuing authorities of EU member countries voluntarily contribute coins to the Europa Coin Programme. Multiple countries have participated in the programme, beginning in 2004. Some coins are denominated in euro, others are denominated in other currencies.

Engraver: Tapio Kettunen