Obverse. Photo © NumisCorner.com
  • 5 Euro 2011, KM# 162, Finland, Republic, Historical Provinces, Savonia
  • 5 Euro 2011, KM# 162, Finland, Republic, Historical Provinces, Savonia
Description

Authorised by the Ministry of Finance, the Mint of Finland issued 2010-2011 a coin series inspired by Finland’s historical provinces. There are nine historical provinces: Åland, Tavastia, Karelia, Lapland, Ostrobothnia, Satakunta, Savonia, Uusimaa and Finland Proper. Administratively the historic provinces ceased to exist in 1634 when the country, then a part of Sweden, was divided into counties.

The reverse of each provincial coin features the historical province’s coat of arms. On the obverse of the coin is an image closely related to the culture of the province

Engraver: Nora Tapper

Obverse

Design pays tribute to a traditional Savonian livelihood, slash-and-burn farming.

Slash-and-burn agriculture is a farming method that involves the cutting and burning of plants in a forest or woodland to create a field called a swidden. The method begins by cutting down the trees and woody plants in an area. The downed vegetation, or "slash", is then left to dry, usually right before the rainiest part of the year. Then, the biomass is burned, resulting in a nutrient-rich layer of ash which makes the soil fertile, as well as temporarily eliminating weed and pest species. After about three to five years, the plot's productivity decreases due to depletion of nutrients along with weed and pest invasion, causing the farmers to abandon the field and move over to a new area. The time it takes for a swidden to recover depends on the location and can be as little as five years to more than twenty years, after which the plot can be slashed and burned again, repeating the cycle.

Telkkämäki Nature Reserve in Kaavi, Finland, is an open-air museum where slash-and-burn agriculture is demonstrated. Farm visitors can see how people farmed when slash-and-burn was the norm in the Northern Savonian region of eastern Finland beginning in the 15th century. Areas of the reserve are burnt each year.

SUOMI
FINLAND

Reverse

Depicts the historic coat of arms of Savonia, a region of Finland surrounded by the value and the date above. Engraver's initial (T) and the mint's logo (lion) on the right.

Savonia (Finnish: Savo, Swedish: Savolax) is a historical province in the east of Finland. It borders Tavastia, Ostrobothnia and Karelia. Currently, Savonia is divided into two provinces: Northern Savonia and Southern Savonia. The largest cities in Savonia by population are Kuopio, Mikkeli, Savonlinna, Varkaus and Iisalmi. The coat of arms is a drawn hand bow and arrow crowned by a count's coronet.

2011
5 T
EURO

Edge
Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Non-circulating)
Material Bi-Metallic
Ring Brass
Center Cupronickel
Weight 9.8 g
Diameter 27.25 mm
Thickness -
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Mint of Finland

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Satakunta

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Bi-Metallic, 9.8 g, ⌀ 27.25 mm
Finland Proper

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Bi-Metallic, 9.8 g, ⌀ 27.25 mm
Karelia

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Bi-Metallic, 9.8 g, ⌀ 27.25 mm