Fabergé's Finnish legacy in the spotlight

A piece of Finnish luxury straight from the imperial court. In 2012, Mint of Finland and the Ministry of Finance will commemorate the Finnish Fabergé workmaster who led the manufacture of the most significant Fabergé pieces. Henrik Wigström and European Artists collector coins will be launched on 3 February 2012 at the World Money Fair in Berlin.

This year the goldsmith's craft in Finland will receive state recognition as Mint of Finland mints a collector coin to commemorate the goldsmiths at the request of the Ministry of Finance. The nominal value of the collector coin is EUR10.

"We are proud to be able to bring out the goldsmith's craft in Finland in the collector coin. Fabergé's Finnish legacy deserves international attention as well. Fabergé workmaster Henrik Wigström was responsible for the manufacture of the world's most famous collector's items, and Finnish goldsmiths today continue to uphold comparable skills,” says Paul Gustafsson, the CEO of Mint of Finland.

Finnish workmasters helped Fabergé thrive

Everyone knows goldsmith Karl Fabergé (1846–1920), but few Finns know that the Fabergé masterpieces were not the creation of just one individual. Of the 20 or so Fabergé workmasters, 14 were Finnish.

Mint of Finland's Fabergé coin tells the story of a Finnish boy who became one of the most famous Fabergé workmasters in the world. Henrik Wigström (1862–1923) was Fabergé's principal workmaster for 15 years until the Russian revolution forced Fabergé to shut down its workshops.

The coin is designed by Pertti Mäkinen. The silver collector coin has a diameter of 33mm and weighs 17 grams. Up to 15,000 glassy proof coins and unpolished coins will be minted.

Part of an international coin series

With the Henrik Wigström and European Artists collector coin, Finland is participating in the European Silver Star collector coin programme, which is organised by mints from around Europe.

The theme of the European Silver Star programme for the year 2012 will be European artists. Since 2004, several countries in Europe have participated in the programme by issuing coins under a unified theme.

The year 2012 marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Fabergé's workmaster Henrik Wigström.

Further information:

Henna Karjalainen
Communications Director
Mint of Finland Ltd.
+ 358 50 575 9197
henna.karjalainen(at)mint.fi

Mint of Finland Ltd. is the leading mint in the Eurozone. It is the sole owner of the German coin-blank manufacturer, Saxonia EuroCoin GmbH, and holds a 50 percent share in the Norwegian Det Norske Myntverket. Mint of Finland is dedicated to designing, marketing and minting coins. The company is owned by the Finnish state. Mint of Finland produces metallic currency, commemorative and collector coins, as well as coin sets. In 2012, Mint of Finland will issue six new collector coins, two commemorative coins and seven coin series. To see how coins are produced, visit the 'About a Coin' exhibition at Heureka, the Finnish Science Centre. For further information about events in 2012, visit the Mint of Finland website: www.suomenrahapaja.fi