This is how it begins

Collector coins are minted to celebrate persons and events of great significance. Collector coins are intended as collectibles or memorabilia, yet also constitute legal tender in their face denomination. Since the sales price of collector coins is usually higher than the face value, these coins are seldom seen in circulation, being instead immediately acquired by collectors.

Over sixty collector coins have been minted in Finland. The first Olympic collector coin was struck for the Helsinki Games in 1952.

The development of collector coins and other numismatic products pools the expertise of many professionals. The work takes artistic vision and metal-working skills as well as marketing know-how.

The manufacture of collector coins involves various professionals, from artists to metal workers. Circulation coins (euro coins) pass through the mint as if in a factory, from one machine to another, but collector coins are processed by hand in multiple working stages. The following pages contain information on the stages in the manufacture process of collector coins. Several images depict the manufacture of the Peace and security collector coin issued in Autumn 2009.