The Bank of Finland is Finland's central bank, national monetary authority and a member of the European System of Central Banks and the Eurosystem. The Bank of Finland's collector coin depicts Finland's national bird, the whooper swan, which covers both sides of the coin.

Our own country, our own currency, our own bank

The Bank of Finland is the world's fourth oldest central bank. As Finland passed from Swedish rule to Russian control in 1809, the financial system was overhauled.

In 1811, Tsar Alexander I issued a decree to establish the "Waihetus- Laina- ja Depositioni-Contori" ('Exchange, Lending and Deposits Bureau') in the city of Turku. This, our nation's first bank, became the Bank of Finland. The bank was relocated to Helsinki in 1819.

Towards an international Finland

The Finnish nation achieved a landmark success in 1811 when the Bank of Finland was founded.

The Bank of Finland took on its role as a central bank towards the end of the 1800s when Finland had set up its own currency and commercial banks had been established. When Finland gained her independence, the Bank of Finland's position as the national central bank was reinforced.

Finland adopted the single currency of the European Union, the euro, in 1999 and the Bank of Finland is now part of the European System of Central Banks. Today, the Bank of Finland is part of an effort to build a truly international Finland.