The "Eero Saarinen and Architecture" Coin to Launch the Mint of Finland Jubilee Year

The coin was designed by Juha Kauko, who won the design competition with his proposal entitled Tuolla puolen ("On the Other Side"). The obverse side depicts the Gateway Arch, a famous American landmark in St. Louis. The reverse side depicts the Tulip chair by Saarinen. Saarinen, a Finnish American, had a significant impact on modern architecture worldwide.

Mint of Finland has a new look to celebrate the jubilee year. The logo, look and name of the company have all changed. The "Eero Saarinen and Architecture" jubilee coin is the first of the jubilee year. The coin is presented in a package that depicts the new look of the Mint. For further information, please contact Severi Blomstedt, former director of the Museum of Finnish Architecture. The jubilee coin is available on 6 April from the Mint of Finland online shop.

"We at the Mint of Finland are delighted to launch the jubilee year with this design and architecture themed coin. We hope that more and more people will understand that coins and notes also have design value," says Maarit Aarni-Sirviö, Mint of Finland's CEO.

The silver collector coin has a nominal value of 10 euros. Its diameter is 38.61mm; it weighs 25.5 g and the maximum mintage is 26,000. The Eero Saarinen jubilee coin can be ordered from official Mint of Finland retailers. In Finland, the coin is available from Rahapaja Moneta, tel. 010 80 80 40 or online at www.rahapajamoneta.fi. The Finnish Post Office shops and larger numismatic retailers also sell the jubilee coin.

For further details and photo requests, please contact:

Henna Karjalainen

Communications Manager

Mint of Finland Ltd.

+358 50 575 9197

henna.karjalainen@mint.fi

Mint of Finland is the leading company in its field in Scandinavia and the Baltic region. Its activities include the design, marketing and minting of coins. The company is owned by the Finnish state.

The company includes two business units: Circulation Coins and Collector Products. Mint of Finland produces metal circulation coins, jubilee and special coins, sets of coins, medals, badges of honour and jewellery. The group employs some 250 people and exports to nearly 40 countries. 2010 marks the 150th anniversary of the Mint's foundation by the order of Tsar Alexander II. During the jubilee year, Mint of Finland will issue five new commemorative coins. In April, it will open an online boutique, and in October, Finns can discover how coins are minted at an exposition at the Finnish Science Centre Heureka. For further details about jubilee year events, see our website at www.suomenrahapaja.fi