Sculptor Nora Tapper won the design competition for 5 euro province coins

The nominal value of each coin will be 5 euro. They will be minted in bi-metal with a diameter of 27.25 mm. The coin centre is copper-nickel, the ring Nordic Gold. The coin has a rim. The reverse of each provincial coin features the historical province’s coat of arms and the face value, 5 EURO.

A competition was held for the artistic design of the obverse of the provincial coins, to which sculptors Tapio Kettunen, Pertti Mäkinen, Reijo Paavilainen, Nora Tapper and Erja Tielinen were invited.

The invited artists presented plaster casts of the obverses of the first two coins to be issued. The other seven provincial coins were demonstrated in sketch form. The entries had to be related to the provinces’ history, and the proposed set had to comprise an integral whole.

The design competition was won by sculptor Nora Tapper with her entry entitled “Vanhassa vara” (Old things last). The jury found Nora Tapper’s proposal an integral, interesting package with a variety of subjects.

After studying Finland’s history Nora Tapper decided to depict in her entry the history of everyday life in the Finnish provinces. “At first it seemed as if everyday life all over Finland had been much the same: farming, fishing, hunting, handicrafts and carving utensils,” says Nora Tapper of the points of departure of her design work. “In spite of the apparent similarities, though, life in different provinces has been very dissimilar. The place where you lived affected your choice of livelihood. For example, in Finland Proper the carving of wooden dishware was so highly developed that products were even exported to foreign countries. For this reason I depicted a Rusko scoop, a traditional drinking vessel, on the coin for Finland Proper. In Satakunta sailors, old women and everyone else made lace, so it was natural to depict lace-making on the coin for Satakunta."

The 5-euro provincial coins jury consisted of chairman Professor Yrjö Sotamaa of the University of Art and Design, with members Senior Budget Secretary Marja Kirppu of the Ministry of Finance and Chief Curator Heikki Malme of the Ateneum Art Museum. The expert members were Mint of Finland Ltd’s CEO Paul Gustafsson, and Executive Director Jaakko Mikkola of the Regional Council of Itä-Uusimaa. Export and Marketing Assistant Sinikka Ravander of the Mint of Finland Ltd. acted as secretary.

COLLECTOR COIN COMMITTEE

For further information please contact:

On matters related to the Collector Coin Committee, collector coin design, etc.:
Professor Yrjö Sotamaa, University of Art and Design
Tel (+358 9) 47 001 or yrjo.sotamaa@taik.fi

On matters concerning the sale, quantity struck and technical aspects of the collector coin:
Export and Marketing Assistant Sinikka Ravander, Mint of Finland Ltd
Tel. (+3589) 8943 4392 or sinikka.ravander@mint.fi