The Diet of Porvoo 200 years –collector coin design competition has reached a conclusion

The golden collector coin will be realized on the basis of Reijo Paavilainen’s proposal “Anno Domini 1809”

The Collector Coin Committee set by the Finnish Ministry of Finance arranged a public competition for the designing of the coin. A total of 18 proposals were received by the deadline. The competition was won by sculptor Reijo Paavilainen with his proposal “Anno Domini 1809”.

The jury considered Paavilainen’s design to be a simplified and harmonious entity with a balanced composition and sufficiently dignified for the theme. “The theme for the competition was challenging, but extremely interesting and many-sided after I had gone deeper into it. I wanted to portray the profile of the Porvoo church in my work, as the Diet of Porvoo began in church”, says the artist about his work.

Paavilainen’s performance in the competition was overwhelming, as he also received second prize with his proposal “Keisarin uudet lait” (The new laws of the emperor) and third prize with his design “Kasvaisi tuleva huomen”(Cometh a new tomorrow). Rewards where also given to Harri Ojala’s proposal “Idän pyörteissä” (In the vortices of the East) and Pirkko Viitasalo’s proposal “Valtion päivät” (The days of Parliament).

The following persons were members of the “Diet of Porvoo 200 years” jury: as chairman professor Yrjö Sotamaa from the University of Art and Design, and as members Senior Budget Secretary from the Ministry of Finance Marja Kirppu and CEO of Mint of Finland Ltd Maarit Aarni-Sirviö. As art expert members acted Henrik Gröhn, Raimo Savolainen, Pekka Syrjälä, and Janne Vesterinen. Export and Marketing Assistant Sinikka Ravander from Mint of Finland Ltd functioned as secretary.

The competition proposals are on display at the Helsinki University of Art and Design during
23rd - 27th February, 2009. The address is Hämeentie 135 C, Helsinki.

COLLECTOR COIN COMMITTEE

For additional information, please contact:

In matters related to the Collector Coin Committee, the designing of collector coins, and similar; Chairman of the Collector Coin Committee Mr. Yrjö Sotamaa, Professor of the University of Art and Design, Helsinki, tel. +358 (0) 975 631, yrjo.sotamaa@taik.fi

Concerning sales, issued amounts, and questions related to technical matters; Mint of Finland Ltd, Export and Marketing Assistant Sinikka Ravander, tel. +358 9 8943 4392, sinikka.ravander@mint.fi