September 1, 2016 – Latvijas Banka is issuing a 2 euro commemorative coin featuring a cow. The coin is legal tender in the Republic of Latvia and all the euro area countries. Like any other piece of circulation money, this coin will be released to special points of coin sale and other enterprises as well as will become available to the population via commercial banks.
Latvia / 2 Euros / copper, nickel, brass / 8.50 g / 25.75 mm / Design: Luc Luycx (common side) and Gunars Lusis (graphic design national side) and Janis Strupulis (plaster model national side) / Mintage: 1,000,000.
The image of a cow, the symbol of the Latvian farming and countryside, once authored by Gunars Lusis (graphic design) and Janis Strupulis (plaster model) and featured on the 2 lats circulation coin, has been restored to live again on the 2 euro commemorative coin. The new coins are struck by UAB Lietuvos monetu kalykla.
For long, cows have been important not only for the country’s economy but also as an integral part of the countryside routine. The Latvian Brown, which is the main breed of dairy cows in Latvia, is a productive and resilient animal of relatively low maintenance and long life span, well-adapted to the local climate. The human eye is pleased to spot one when lazily browsing a field or rural scenery. The poet Imants Ziedonis who played an important role in formulating philosophical imaginary of the designs on the renewed lats banknotes and coins, has poetically represented the interrelation between the human and cow’s life cycle:
And while a wee brown calf
trundles through a brown cow,
you too have time
to till the future now.
The Latvian Brown is Latvia’s typical cattle breed. Photo: Ingrida Briede / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.lv
Dairy industry has always been an important branch of the Latvian economy, which makes its contribution to manufacturing of various products and supplements the income of businesses and households. The main breed of dairy cows in Latvia is the Latvian Brown. Initially, the Latvian brown cow was registered in 1911 as the Latvian Red-brown, but the Latvian Brown breed was approved in 1922. The Latvian Brown is a reddish-brown cow with darker legs and head, and a dark grey muzzle. These animals are productive, resilient, of relatively low maintenance, long life span and good reproduction rates, well-adapted to the local climate.
Latvijas Banka is carrying on the tradition of minting circulation coins of special design in Latvia. Each country in the euro area is entitled to issue two 2 euro commemorative coins of special design per year. Also, a third coin can be issued under a programme, if any, jointly organised by several euro area countries. This year, Latvijas Banka is planning to issue the 2 euro commemorative coin “Vidzeme” thereby launching a commemorative coin series celebrating the centenary of the State of Latvia.
You can find more information about the commemorative coin series on the website of the Latvijas Banka.
More about Latvian Brown cows you can find here.