104) Mint of Finland: Provincial coins issued in 2010 and 2011: Commemorating the cultures/traditions of the Nine historic provinces, which ceased to be Administrative Regions in 1634:

104) Mint of Finland: Provincial coins issued in 2010 and 2011: Commemorating the cultures/traditions of the Nine historic provinces, which ceased to be Administrative Regions in 1634:

Each Province of Finland has its own traditional character, which makes each one very special. 

Agriculture, fishing, handicrafts, hunting and several other national traditions and sources of livelihood have been commemorated/depicted in the Provincial coins which together represent the culture and colours of Finland. 

These coins weave together a fascinating story of a peace loving nation, trustworthy and industrious, a country with clear autumn days, winter mornings with a sharp bite of frost, warm summer evenings and summer nights of perpetual sunshine. 

Finland is a country of several tribes. The Finns have a strong bonding with their tribes throughout their lives, no matter where they are. Finland’s historical provinces have been both administrative entities and cultural tribal regions which are recognized by the people. The past life of all the nine  provinces is interlinked with the mediaeval manorial provinces.

Administratively, the historic provinces ceased to exist in 1634, when the country, then a part of Sweden, was divided into counties.

Commemorative Coins set:

The Mint of Finland has issued these nine provincial coins.

 Specifications of all the nine coins:

Denomination of the coins: 5 Euros;

Diameter: 27.25 mm; Weight: 9.8 gms.

Coin quality: Proof set; Coin Designer: Nora Tapper;

Year of mintage: 2010 and 2011.

Metal Composition: Outer Ring: Cupper, Aluminum, Nickel;                              Centre: Cupro-Nickel.

Coin theme: Provincial coins of Finland Proper, Satakunta, Tavastia, Savonia, Uusimaa, Karelia, Ostrobothnia, Lapland and Aland depicting culture and traditions of each individual Province.

Meaning of the terms used  on the Coat of Arms on the reverse side:

GULES: (red in Heraldry)

OR     : (tincture gold or yellow in Armorial bearings)

AZURE: (clear blue/sky coloured)

SABLE: (black as one in Heraldic colours; in engravings represented by horizontal & vertical lines crossing each other)

ARGENT: (the silver of a Coat of arms or silvery white on the white colour in Heraldic Armorial bearings)

MULLET: (a figure of a star having 5 or more points)

PASSANT: (of a beast walking and looking towards the dexter side with the dexter forepaw raised)

DEXTER: (meaning on the bearer’s right hand side of a shield in Heraldry)

SINISTER: (meaning on the bearer’s left hand side of a shield, in Heraldry)

The Provincial Coins:

1)  Finland Proper province (Maakunta):

The Finland Proper province has a rich medieval cultural heritage. 

Turku Castle, the centre of the historical Finland Proper province was the first castle to be built in Finland. More than half of Finland’s medieval manors are located in Finland Proper.

The Turku Cathedral and the Naantali Church are among Finland’s most important sites of religious architecture. 

In the Middle Ages, Kuusisto Castle was built at Kaarina, on the shores of “Piikkionlahti” Bay, as the Catholic Church’s administrative base and as  the sanctuary of Finland’s Catholic bishops and the medieval Archbishops of Turku.

 The reverse of the Finland Proper Provincial coin depicts the Finland proper Coat of Arms coin. This Coat of Arms was granted to the Province at the burial of Gustav I of Sweden in 1560. 

The Arms are crowned by a ducal coronet, though in the Finnish tradition this more resembles a Swedish comital coronet. 

The Blazon: “Gules, a crowned jousting helmet in front of two lances in saltire, all Or. On each lance is attached a forked hanging flag azure, charged with a Scandinavian cross Or”.

  This coin was issued on 15.10.2010.

The obverse of the coin depicts the Rusko tankard used during biblical study gatherings, made from a spruce rootstalk.

This tankard represents the province’s earliest exports. This Province has a rich and very intricate decorative woodwork tradition. The “kousa” or the “decorative wooden tankard” was Finland Proper’s earliest export product with a large number of these tankards being exported in the 16^th century, mainly to Sweden. 

Most of the “festive” Rusko tankards complete with the year and coat of arms were made in the early 16^th century for the weddings of the nobility. 

The tradition of using the Rusko tankard at biblical study gatherings dates back to 1542. 

These study gatherings were known as “kinkerit”, the equivalent of the modern confirmation class and they became an established practice in Finland with the enforcement of the 1686 Church Law.

Before general compulsory education, these reading events played an important role in the promotion of literacy and the knowledge of catechism among the people. The reading event was generally arranged in large farm houses where home – brew could be served during the religious programme. After the event, a procession carried the tankard to the house where the next study gathering would take place.

As late as the 19^th century, the festive Rusko tankard was used at biblical study gatherings in the Hujala village of the Rusko parish. The tankard was used to sip drinks while learning to read.

Today, the Rusko tankard is the only remaining festive tankard in Finland. It is regarded as one of the valuable objects at the National museum of Finland representing Finland’s culture. 

2)  Satakunta Province (Satakunnan Maakuntaraha):

In the Middle Ages, Satakunta was a separate administrative unit, where new towns and settlements were being established. Ulvila was established in 1365 and Rauma in 1442. Duke John of Finland established Pori as the capital of Satakunta in 1558.

Satakunta has been inhabited for at least 7000 years, the first signs of life dating back to the Mesolithic period and “Suomusjarvi” culture.

Numerous prehistoric remains, the lush green agricultural sceneries of river valleys and the old industrial and manorial surroundings bear testimony to the fact that settlements in Satakunta province were established a long time ago. The massive barrows present in the province are evidence of civilization having been present here in the Bronze Age.

The Satakunta cultural areas have also been included in the list of World Heritage sites. The wooden town area of Old Rauma and the Bronze Age burial site of “Sammallahdenmaki” in Satakunta are two of Finland’s seven World Heritage sites.

The reverse of the coin depicts the traditional Coat of Arms of Satakunta.  The Coat of Arms of Satakunta are crowned by a ducal coronet, though in Finnish tradition, it more resembles a Swedish count’s coronet.

The Blazon: “Per Fess Azure and Or, a bear rampant Sable, armed and langued Gules, crowned Or, holding in both paws a sword Argent, sword handle Or, surmounted by two mullets of seven Argent”.

 This coin was issued on 29.11.2010.

The obverse of the coin depicts the making of bobbin lace, also known as pillow lace. 

Bobbin lace has been made in Finland since the Middle Ages. Since only a few luxury items were available, homemade lace was used to decorate costumes. The bobbin lace tradition, which dates back hundreds of years, is still prevalent in Satakunta, especially during the “Rauma Lace Week” in summer. 

3)  Tavastia Province (Hameen Maakuntaraha):

Tavastia has been inhabited since the early Stone Age. In the Middle Ages, the Tavastia settlements spread from around Vanajavesi to the wilderness, where the locals hunted. 

The old trade route, Hame Oxen Road, connected the region to the West Coast. Modern Finnish cities, such as Hameenlinna, Lahti, Jyvaskyla and Tampere are part of the historical province of Tavastia.

 The reverse of the Tavastia Provincial coin depicts the traditional Coat of Arms of Tavastia. The Coat of Arms was granted to the Province at the burial of Gustav I of Sweden in 1560. The Arms are crowned by a ducal coronet, though by Finnish tradition, this more resembles a Swedish count’s coronet. 

The Blazon: “Gules, a lynx passant Or, ear tufts sable; in chief three mullets of six, in base four roses, all argent.”

This coin was issued on 25.02.2011.

The obverse of the coin depicts a snare and a bird’s talons. This coin   therefore represents an old Tavastian hunting tradition.

Snares like this were often made by twisting together horsetail hair and flax. At the hunter’s belt would be a snare holster made from juniper with dozens of snares hanging from it, which were used for catching birds for the table.

4)  Savonia Province (Savon Maakuntaraha):

Savonia has been inhabited since the end of the Ice Age. Its remaining Neolithic cave paintings, a popular attraction, are proof of its long history. 

Presently, the Province has a population of over 400000 inhabitants. Over a period of time, the Savonians have developed a distinct dialect of Finnish that distinguishes them from Finns native to other provinces. Savonia’s natural landscapes are a prominent feature of Finland’s picturesque and beautiful Countryside.

  The reverse of the coin depicts the traditional Coat of Arms of Uusimaa. The Coat of Arms of Savonia is crowned by a count’s coronet, though by Finnish tradition, this more resembles a Swedish baronial coronet. The traditional colours of the Province are in black and gold. 

The Blazon:” Sable, a drawn hand bow in and arrow aimed toward dexter chief, Or, bow string, arrowhead and feathered tail, argent.”

This coin was issued on 15.03.2011.

The obverse of the coin represents a “farmer’s coin” and depicts the Savonian slash and burn tradition. 

 Savonian agriculture was entirely based on slash and burn cultivation which was a type of agriculture method used in the province to earn a living in the early Modern Age. Slash and burn farming involved burning wood to fertilize the cultivation of rye. This cultivation allowed farmers to eliminate harmful weeds. Farmers practiced slash and burn in groups formed by several families working together.

5)  Uusimaa Province (Uudenmaan Maakuntaraha):

In the 12^th century A.D., the people of Uusimaa were predominantly roaming hunters, but as more people discovered the Region, several hundreds of settlers migrated here from Southwest Finland and Sweden in the following centuries.

The Province is accordingly named by the settlers as “Uusimaa” (in Swedish – meaning “form ny land” or “new land”) sometime in the 14^th century. Later in 1548, the name is mentioned as “Wsimaa” in Finnish by Mikael Agricola in the preface of his translation of the New Testament.

The reverse of the coin depicts the traditional Coat of Arms of Uusimaa. 

The Coat of Arms of Uusimaa was granted at the burial of Gustav I of Sweden in 1560. The Arms are crowned by a count’s coronet, though by Finnish tradition this more resembles a Swedish baronial coronet. 

The Blazon: “Azure between two bars wavy argent, a boat with rudder, Or”.

This coin was issued on 26.05.2011.

The obverse of the coin depicts symbols of early industry in Finland showing a saw and two wheels. 

In the 16^th and 17^th centuries, when settlements transformed into towns all over Uusimaa, Iron production was the main industry and local communities became self-sufficient with their own market places, churches and schools.

6)  Karelia Province (Karjalan Maakuntaraha):

Many Finns have their roots in Karelia. Traditional Karelia dishes, such as Karelian pasties (open rye pastry cases filled with rice) are popular delicacies throughout Finland. 

 The reverse of the Karelia Provincial coin depicts the traditional Coat of Arms of Karelia. The Coat of Arms is crowned by a ducal coronet, though by Finnish tradition, this more resembles a Swedish count’s coronet. 

The symbolism of the Coat of Arms represents how the region was fought over by Sweden and Russia for centuries.

 The Blazon: “Gules, in the centre chief a crown or above two dueling arms, the dexter armoured holding a sword and the sinister chain-mail armoured with a scimitar, all argent except for hafts and gauntlet joint Or.”

This coin was issued on 17.06.2011.

The obverse of the coin depicts the beautiful artisan handicraft tradition of the Karelians, showing birch craft which is an integral part of this tradition.

The handicrafts are made of birch bark, cut with a thin-bladed knife in early summer or autumn and the end products are in the form of small baskets, shoes, knapsacks and shepherd’s horns. Birch bark is robust and water resistant and is also used by artisans for making drinking vessels. 

7)  Ostrobothnian Province (Pohjannaan Maakuntaraha):

The Ostrobothnian Province comprises the vast northern flatlands. During the time of the historic provinces, Ostrobothnia covered much of what are now Southern Ostrobothnia, Central Ostrobothnia, Northern Ostrobothnia and Southern Lapland.

The reverse of the coin shows the Province’s traditional Coat of Arms which dates back to the medieval fiefdoms. The Coat of Arms is crowned by a count’s coronet, although by Finnish tradition, this more resembles a Swedish baron’s coronet. 

The Blazon:  “Azure, six ermines courant argent, tail-tips sable”.

This coin was issued on 19.09.2011.

The obverse of the coin depicts tar resins and the heart of a stone-covered tar-burning pit, as tar burning is an old Ostrobothnian industry. 

Between the 17^th and 19^th centuries, the flat Ostrobothnian plains criss-crossed by rivers were ideal terrain for transporting the heavy tar loads.

Large amounts of tar were made out of Ostrobothnian pine trees in round tar burning pits with a funnel-shaped bottom.

8)  Laplands Province or “Laponia” (Lapin Maakuntaraha):

Lapland is the northernmost province which is known for its natural scenery and fascinating traditions. 

The historical provincial boundaries of Lapland cover the northern areas of the present day province – the municipalities of Enontekio, Kittila, Muonio, Pelkosenniemi, Savukoski, Sodankyla and Utsjoki, as well as, Southern Lapland, which was considered to be part of Ostrobothnia during the time of the historical provinces.

The Sami were living in Lapland long before the Finns arrived. The Sami are descendants of the people who inhabited Northern Fennoscandia right after the Ice Age about 10000 years ago. The Sami are the only aboriginal people in the European Union.

Lapland was the last region where the Finns settled.  Finns started moving into the region from the 1550s when King Gustav I of Sweden wished to populate the wilderness areas of his kingdom. By the 1590s, there were 350 Finns living in Alatornio and Ylitornio.

 The reverse of the Lapland Provincial coin depicts the Finland proper Coat of Arms coin. 

The Coat of Arms for Lapland was composed out of the Coats of Arms of Laponia and Istrobothnia.

This coin was issued on 18.10.2011.

The obverse of the coin commemorates the Sami people, the oldest inhabitants of Lapland, depicting the shaman’s drum which was an integral part of the Sami’s epic songs and spirituality.  

Shamans used drums to predict a family’s good fortune and to heal patients. The drum symbolized life and the entire universe in the past, present and future. The drum sticks were often made of reindeer horn.

9)  Aland Province (Ahvenanmaa Maakuntaraha):

 Aland is a small archipelago province. It is situated east of the Sea of Eland and south of the Bothnian Sea. East of Aland is the Archipelago of Turku in the Province of Varsinais – Suomi. Aland consists of over 6700 islands and islets, 6400 of which have a land area exceeding 3000 sq. metres.

Aland is an autonomous province of Finland and a popular tourist destination during summers when it is at its most beautiful.

Fishing is an important source of livelihood for the Aland people for centuries. This coin image underlines the importance of fishing to the Aland people. Fishing nets are woven at home in the winters and are often made of single-strand linen yarn spun by hand. Initially the nets were up to three metres high but presently nets of much larger heights are in use, particularly as the stone anchors used previously by fishermen were replaced by the storm – proof iron anchors.

This coin represents the Archipelago Province and Fishermen. This is the last coin in the Provincial series issued in 2011. 

The reverse of the coin depicts the traditional Coat of Arms of Aland. The Coat of Arms of Aland features a gold red deer on a blue field. The Arms carry a coronet of a count, though by Finnish tradition this more resembles a Swedish baronial coronet. 

The Blazon: “Azure a Deer passant Or”.

It was issued on 20.12.2011.

The obverse of the coin depicts a fisherman’s net and an implement used for knitting fishing nets.

(These coins are from the collection of Abhishek Pradhan. Article researched and written by Rajeev Prasad)







Links:

1) Mint of Finland: Provincial coins issued in 2010 and 2011 commemorating the cultures/traditions of the nint historic provinces which ceased to be Administrative Regions in 1634

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