1 Lats 2009 "The Coin of Water"

[Kai]

On issuing the "Water Coin"


Riga, 16 November 2009

The Bank of Latvia today issued a silver collector coin, "Water coin". The author of its design is artist Ilmārs Blumbergs; its plaster model was made by sculptor Jānis Strupulis.

The Bank of Latvia collector coins are miniature art works dedicated to Latvian treasures: events, successes, people expressive of our culture. It has already become a tradition for the Bank of Latvia to have a coin, extraordinary in terms of its form and philosophical in terms of its message, struck before the oncoming Christmas and New Year. This year the Bank dedicates a special coin to water designed by artist. Ilmārs Blumbergs. Water is the basic substance of all forms of life known to us, it has been of decisive importance in the development of human race and has played a great role in the spiritual life of humans: religions, mythology, art. Water has also been regarded as a source of health and joy.

The obverse of the coin feature flying droplets of water and the reverse an ice crystal whose form depends both on the purity of water and the influence of sounds and words. The purer and more harmonious is the music, the more beautiful the shape of the crystal. The unusual shape of the coin has been encoded with the idea of cooperation between the human mind that seeks to organize everything and the elemental forces of nature.

Among the Bank of Latvia unusual coins there are also, e.g., the millennium "Button", the "Coin of Destiny" - silver with a gilded obverse and both silver-and-niobium "Coins of time" with blue or purple highlights, the heptagonal "Digit Coin", and the "Coin of Life" with gilded design elements on both sides.

The silver one-lats "Water Coin" is legal tender in the Republic of Latvia. Its maximum circulation will be 7,000. Description of the coin. "Water Coin" will be available for purchase at the Bank of Latvia and the traditional points of sale: banks, souvenir and jewellery shops. The price of the coin at the Bank of Latvia: LVL 25.30.

Information for editors:
Money in form, collector coins are in fact works of art. They are usually made of gold, silver or other precious metals of especially high fineness. As opposed to currency in general circulation, collector coins are usually not intended to be used as a means of payment, but as a gift, souvenir or collector's item. Consequently, the price of collector coins is considerably higher than their nominal value.

[Kai]

Face value: 1 lats
Weight: 26.00 g;
area measurement: 32.00 x 32.00 mm;
shape: square
Metal: silver of .925 fineness;
quality: proof
Struck in 2009 by Rahapaja Oy (Finland)

Artists: Ilmars Blumbergs (graphic design), Janis Strupulis (plaster model)

Obverse
In the centre, a path of a drop of water begins from the inscription H2O against a background of drops of water in the lower part of the coin. The inscription LATVIJAS REPUBLIKA is placed along the lower part of the left upper side of the coin, and the year MMIX (2009 in Roman numerals) is featured along the lower part of the right upper side of the coin.

Reverse
A water crystal is depicted in the centre of the coin, with the inscription 1 LATS placed along the lower part of the right lower side of the coin.

Edge
Plain.

[Kai]

H2O :

[werner018]

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