This post will highlight two coins recently released by the Bank of Latvia. The first is the “Baby coin” which is issued in dedication to folk traditions. The obverse features the charming image of a cradle with baby being held by a bird. The inscription “LATVIJAS REPUBLIKA” appears beneath. On the reverse is the image of a mouse pulling a chest full of sweet dreams. The denomination “1 Lats” appears beneath.

In Latvian tradition the newborn baby is visited about a month after arrival for wellwishing and to provide some tangible gift. It has been popular to give a newborn a silver or gold coin as a present. The latest coin would be ideal for such an occasion.

Each coin is struck in .925 silver to proof quality. The weight is 22 grams and the diameter is 35 mm. The mintage is limited to 5,000 pieces. The price at Latvian Cashier’s Offices is 32.92 Lats (about $62).

The next coin is issued by the Bank of Latvia for the Eurostar Programme, which this year highlights European writers. Latvia’s coin honors Rūdolfs Blaumanis, a writer, journalist, and playwright. He is considered a master of realism and one of the greatest writers in Latvian history. The release coincides with the 150th anniversary of his birth.

The obverse design features a portrait of the author with the titles of some of his works in the background. His name appears in the left field with the date “2013″ below. The Eurostar symbol also appears. On the reverse is a homestead surrounded by trees, which appears on a tree leaf. The inscription “LATVIJAS REPUBLIKA” appears above with the denomination “1 LATS” below. The design seeks to convey the search for human harmony centered around the ideal of family and native land which had been the theme of the author’s works.

Each coin is struck in .925 silver to proof quality with a weight of 22 grams and diameter of 35 mm. The maximum mintage is 5,000 pieces, and the coins are available at Cashier’s Offices at 32.92 lats.

The Bank of Latvia has issued a new 20-Lats silver collector coin which celebrates the 20th anniversary of the restoration of the lats. The design of the new coin is taken from the the original 1-lats circulation coin.

The obverse features the coat of arms of the Republic of Latvia. The year 2013 appears at the base, with the inscription “LATVIJAS REPUBLIKA” appearing split above and beneath the central design.

On the reverse is the image of a salmon jumping out of the water. The denomination of “20 LATU” appears beneath. This design was originally created by Gunārs Lūsis for the 1-lats circulation coin. The 20 Lats denomination of the new silver coin was specifically chosen as twenty times the original face value. A small image of the original 1 lats coin appears below.

The 2013 Silver Salmon 20 Lats Coin is struck in 92.5% silver with a weight of 11 grams and diameter of 21.75 mm. The coins are struck to proof quality.

This appears to be the first collector coin release from the Bank of Latvia for this year. Their full collector coin program for 2013 will include the following:

• A coin dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the restoration of the lats (the Silver Salmon coin)
• A coin dedicate to folk traditions or the “Baby Coin”
• A coin dedicated to the 200th anniversary of Richard Wagner
• A coin dedicated to the 150th anniversary of Jāzeps Vītols
• A coin of innovative artistic or technical concept
• A coin within the program The Smallest Gold Coins of the World.
• A coin dedicated to Latvian writer R. Blaumanis

I am particularly looking forward to seeing their coin of “innovative artistic or technical concept”. Last year I wrote about their coin issued to mark the anniversary of the Riga Technical University, which was created from two detachable triangles. The issue was certainly innovate and proved very popular with collectors.

I am also interested to see the design for the gold coin. Previous releases of the series were struck in 1/25 ounces of .9999 fine gold. In 1993, the series featured the famous “Folk Girl” design used for the 1929 5-lats coin. The design recently appeared once again on a 1-lats silver collector coin. An image of the gold coin is shown above, I recently wrote about the silver coin here.

On November 1, 2012, the Bank of Latvia issued a new 5-Lats silver collector coin to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the central bank and the national currency unit. This also represented the 90th collector coin minted during the years of Latvia’s renewed independence.

The design for the collector coin is from the original 5-lats silver coin issued in 1929. The design was created by graphic artist Rihards Zariņš with the assistance of Royal Mint engraver Percy Metcalfe. The design became a symbol of Latvia’s freedom and sovereignty with examples secretly stored by many Latvian families during the Soviet era.

The obverse design features the coat of arms of the Republic of Latvia at center. The number “5″ is shown below with the year of issue “2012″ above and the inscriptions “PIECEI” and “LATI” in a semi-circle.

The reverse design features a Latvian “folk girl” or “folk maid” shown in profile. She has ears of corn at her shoulder and the inscriptions “LATVIJAS” and “REPUBLIKA” are arranged within an outer semi-circle.

Each coin has a composition of 92.5% silver with a diameter of 37.00 mm and weight of 25.00 grams.

The mintage for the 2012 Latvian Folk Girl 5 Lats Silver Coin is 10,000 pieces, which is higher than normal for a Latvian collector coin, likely in anticipation of higher worldwide demand for the issue. The coins are available for sale at the Bank of Latvia’s Cashier’s Office for 36.30 lats. This price converts to $67.80 US.

Collectors outside of Latvia can attempt to contact the Bank of Latvia for direct sales using the contact information found here. Alternatively, there are a number of coins already listed for sale on eBay. Some world coin dealers will also most likely offer the issue.

The last Latvian collector coin that I covered celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Riga Technical University with a very intriguing design. This coin had a mintage of 3,000 and a reader reported that the Bank of Latvia Cashier’s Offices had sold out of their available quantity in 3 hours.

The Bank of Latvia has recently released a new silver coin to mark the 150th anniversary of the Riga Technical University, which was established in 1862 as the first polytechnical institute in Imperial Russia. It was the first tertiary education establishment in the territory of Latvia and is the oldest technical institute in the Baltic States.

The 2012 Riga Technical University 1 Lats Silver Coin features some intriguing aspects. The shape of the coin is a square measuring 32 mm X 32 mm, which is formed by two detachable triangles. The detachable aspect seems to have been conceived due to the potential for utility of the coin.

The obverse is comprised of an upper triangle designed as a protractor with the inscription “LATVIJAS REPUBLIKA” (Republic of Latvia). The lower triangle is designed as a calibrated ruler with the legal tender face value of “1 Lats” beneath.

On the reverse, the upper triangle features a panoramic view of the University with the inscription “RĪGAS TEHNISKĀ UNIVERSITĀTE (Riga Technical University). The lower triangle includes a gilded protractor and ruler, which are elements of the coat of arms of the University. The background includes a reflection of the panoramic view included in the upper triangle. As the angle of the coin is shifted, the date “1862″ or “2012″ appears.

Each coin is struck in proof quality with a weight of 26.00 grams and purity of .925 silver. I have seen the mintage indicated as 3,000, but am trying to confirm. The coins are struck by the Mint of Finland and designed by Kristaps Ģelzis.

For those interested in purchasing the coin, the Bank of Latvia’s website has some contact information here. I have sent an email about the coin, but have not received a response yet. (I will update if I receive a response.) In the past, I have purchased my Latvian coins from eBay, which currently has a few listings for the Riga Technical University Silver Coins.