

By Bank of Latvia ….



Bank of Latvia (Latvijas Banka) is issuing a new 5-euro silver collector coin “Fairy Tale Coin I. Five Cats” on Tuesday, 24 November. Being the first collector coin in a special series of coins dedicated to the most dearly loved and significant Latvian fairy tales, this particular coin honours a fairy tale about five cats which later served as a source of inspiration to many writers.

The graphic design of the coin was created by Anita Paegle, while the author of the plaster model was Jānis Strupulis. The coin was struck by the UAB Lithuanian Mint (UAB Lietuvos monetų kalykla).

Anita Paegle is an outstanding children’s book artist and her special talent is also reflected in one of the last lats silver collector coins, the Baby Coin that was voted “Latvia’s Coin of the Year 2013”.

The obverse of the new euro collector coin features a bed with five sleeping cats. The reverse of the coin displays the same cats holding bowls and spoons.

Latvians have always loved fairy tales with their messages encouraging kindness and the virtue of diligence. Evil is also present, yet the good always wins. This traditional heritage contains the code of folk wisdom, philosophy and ethics; some scenario is always played out and a piece of useful advice given as part of emotional and moral education.

The Latvian fairy tale about the five cats is one of those which parents tend to read to their children as a bedtime story and which they are always asked to read again. The message of the fairy tale is that well-being can be achieved through resourcefulness, initiative and good work.

The collector coin Fairy Tale Coin I. Five Cats is legal tender in the Republic of Latvia, yet the release of such coins in circulation is highly unlikely, for, by nature, they are works of art enjoying high demand from the numismatic community and other interested parties. The maximum mintage of the coin is limited to 10,000.

As of 24 November, this coin will be on sale at the Bank of Latvia’s Cashier’s Offices (K. Valdemāra iela 1B in Riga and Teātra iela 3 in Liepāja) and such traditional points of sale as coin shops, bookshops, souvenir and jewellery shops (https://monetas.bank.lv/images/stories/pielikumi/nauda/Monetu-tirdzniecibas-vietas.pdf). The price of the coin at Latvijas Banka Cashier’s Offices is 39 euro.

Information about the collector coins currently on sale at Latvijas Banka Cashier’s Offices is available at https://monetas.bank.lv/en/coins-for-sale. It shows that a vast range of thematically and artistically diverse collector and commemorative coins are still available, including several collector coins denominated in lats, four of the silver euro collector coins issued in 2014, and also the euro collector coins issued in 2015 and dedicated to 150 years of firefighting in Latvia, 500 years of the Riga Castle, 150 years of Rainis and Aspazija as well as to the Valse Mélancolique by Emīls Dāzrziņš.



Fairy Tale Five Cats Silver Coins Currently Available on eBay

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