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Commemorative coin of the Republic of Latvia 2 euros, issued in 2016 with a circulation of 1,030,000 copies. The first coin from the series "Historical Regions of Latvia", dedicated to Vidzeme. It was minted at the Lithuanian Mint in Vilnius. Bimetallic, diameter 25.75 mm, weight 8.5 g.
Overse
In the center of the coin is the coat of arms of Vidzeme (Vidzemes ģerbonis) - a historical heraldic sign of the region, which represents the mythological animal of the griffin on a shield. The griffin is an ancient symbol of strength, vigilance and protection. At the top is the name of the region "VIDZEME". At the bottom is the name of the issuing country "LATVIJA" and the year "2016". The outer ring of the coin features the 12 five-pointed stars of the European Union.
Reverse
The reverse is the common side of the 2 euro coins of the second type, designed by Luc Luix (Royal Belgian Mint). It depicts a map of Europe as a single continent without internal borders, a symbol of European unity. On the left is a large denomination "2" and the inscription "EURO", on the right is a map with six thin horizontal lines in the background. On the outer ring are the 12 stars of the European Union. The band is with a thin groove and the Latvian inscription "DIEVS ★ SVĒTĪ ★ LATVIJU" (God bless Latvia - the name of the national anthem).
Historical context
Vidzeme (Vidzeme, "Middle Earth" in Latvian) is one of the four historical and cultural regions of Latvia, located in the north-central part of the country. The area is about 23,000 km², the population is over 1 million people (more than half of the population of Latvia, since the capital Riga is territorially located on the border of Vidzeme and Kurzeme). The region borders Estonia in the north, Kurzeme in the west, Zemgale in the south and Latgale in the east. The main cities are Cēsis, Valmiera, Madona, Valka, Limbaži. Historically, it is the former Swedish Livonia. Natural landscape - Vidzeme Upland (the highest point in Latvia, Gaizinš, 312 m), numerous lakes and forests, Gauja - the longest river (452 km) with Gauja National Park. The griffin as a symbol of Vidzeme comes from the coat of arms of Swedish Livonia of the 17th-18th centuries. The region is rich in architectural monuments: Cēsis Castle, Sigulda Castle, Turaida Castle. The 2016-2018 Latvian coin series was conceived as four issues, one per region.