Shopping Cart
Commemorative coin of the Republic of Latvia 2 euros, issued on May 30, 2023 in a circulation of 415,000 copies. Dedicated to supporting Ukraine. The author of the design is Krišs Salmanis. It was minted at the Lithuanian Mint in Vilnius. Bimetallic, diameter 25.75 mm, weight 8.5 g.
Obverse
The center of the coin depicts a stylized sunflower - one of the national symbols of Ukraine. Ukraine is one of the largest producers and exporters of sunflower oil in the world. Since 1996, the sunflower has become a global symbol of peace: for the first time, sunflowers were planted at a military base near Pervomaysk (Mykolaiv region, Ukraine) as a sign of the destruction of nuclear weapons. Since the beginning of the full-scale war in 2022, the sunflower has become a symbol of peace and support for Ukraine around the world. At the top is the inscription "SLAVA UKRAINAI!" (Glory to Ukraine!). At the bottom is the name of the issuing country "LATVIJA" and the year "2023". On the outer ring are the 12 stars of the EU.
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 finely fluted and the Latvian inscription "DIEVS ★ SVĒTĪ ★ LATVIJU" (God bless Latvia - the name of the national anthem).
Historical context
Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022, is the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II. Latvia is one of the leading countries in terms of support for Ukraine (since the start of the full-scale aggression, it has transferred weapons, equipment and humanitarian aid to Ukraine worth more than 1% of its GDP - one of the highest rates in the world). Latvia, together with two other Baltic countries (Estonia and Lithuania), has consistently advocated providing Ukraine with heavy weapons, air defense systems, combat aviation and strategic support. The issuance of this coin is a gesture of solidarity of the people of Latvia with the Ukrainian people. All proceeds from the sale of the coin in special packaging (coincard) are transferred to humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Similar coins of solidarity with Ukraine were also issued by Lithuania (2023), Poland, Finland, and the Czech Republic in 2024-2025. The sunflower, the national flower of Ukraine, has become an international symbol of its struggle for freedom.