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A 2 euro commemorative coin of the Republic of Latvia, issued in 2017 in a circulation of 530,000 copies. The third in the series "Historical Regions of Latvia", dedicated to Latgale. It was minted at the Lithuanian Mint in Vilnius. Bimetallic, diameter 25.75 mm, weight 8.5 g.
Obverse
In the center of the coin is the coat of arms of Latgale (Latgales ģerbonis) - a historical heraldic sign of the region with a silver griffin, symbolizing the protection and religious identity of the region. At the top is the name of the region "LATGALE". At the bottom is the name of the issuing country "LATVIJA" and the year "2017". The outer ring of the coin features 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 - a large denomination "2" and the inscription "EURO", on the right - a map with six thin horizontal lines in the background. On the outer ring - 12 stars of the European Union. The band - with thin ribbing and the Latvian inscription "DIEVS ★ SVĒTĪ ★ LATVIJU" (God bless Latvia - the name of the national anthem).
Historical context
Latgale is one of the four historical and cultural regions of Latvia, located in the eastern part of the country. It borders Estonia to the north, Russia to the east, Belarus to the southeast, Lithuania to the south, and Vidzeme and Zemgale to the west. The area is about 14,500 km². The main cities are Daugavpils (the second largest in Latvia), Rēzekne, Ludza, and Krāslava. Historically, it is known as the "land of blue lakes" due to the large number of water bodies (Lake Lubans is the largest in Latvia). Since the 17th century, it has been part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth - unlike the rest of Latvia, the Catholic faith and Polish-Lithuanian cultural tradition prevail here. After the partition of Poland in 1772, it was annexed to the Russian Empire as the Vitebsk Governorate. Latgale is the only Latvian region that preserves a separate Latgalian language (a variant of Latvian with its own literary tradition since the 17th century) and a unique ethnic and religious (Catholic) identity. Among the monuments: Aglaia Basilica - the main Catholic holy site in Latvia.