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A 2 euro commemorative coin of the Republic of Latvia, issued in 2025 in a circulation of 412,000 copies. Dedicated to Sēlija, the fifth historical region of Latvia. 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 the coat of arms of Sēlija (Sēlijas ģerbonis), a historical heraldic sign of the region. At the top is the name of the region "SĒLIJA". At the bottom is the name of the issuing country "LATVIJA" and the year "2025". The outer ring of the coin features 12 five-pointed stars of the European Union. This coin complements the previous series "Historical Regions of Latvia" (2016-2018), which covered four main regions.
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 - the 12 stars of the European Union. The rim is finely fluted and the Latvian inscription "DIEVS ★ SVĒTĪ ★ LATVIJU" (God bless Latvia - the name of the national anthem).
Historical context
Sēlija (Latvian, or Selonia) is the fifth historical region of Latvia, located south of the Daugava River in the southeastern part of the country. It borders Zemgale in the west, Latgale in the east and Lithuania in the south. The main cities are Jēkabpils, Aizkraukle, Jēkabpils, Viesīte. The territory is approximately 10,000 km². The region was named after the Baltic tribe of Selonians (sēļi), who inhabited these lands before Christianization in the 13th century. In the 8th-13th centuries, the Selonians had their own state - Selonia, which also occupied wider territories. For a long time, Selia was considered part of Zemgale. In the 16th-18th centuries. it was part of the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia. Selia received the official status of a separate historical region of Latvia in 2021 - when the Seimas adopted the relevant amendments to the law. This made Latvia a country with not four, but five historical regions. The culture of the region is a peculiar mixture of Zemgale, Latgale and Lithuanian influences. Famous sights: Koknese Castle, Krustpils Castle in Jēkabpils.