5-lats Commemorative Coin

Obverse
The large coat of arms of the Republic of Latvia is placed in the centre. The numeral 5, topped with the year 2003, is inscribed beneath the central motif. The inscriptions PIECI and LATI, arranged in a semicircle, are placed to the left and right of the central motif respectively.

Reverse
The central motif is a Latvian folk-maid in profile, viewed from the right side. The girl has ears of corn on her shoulder. The inscriptions LATVIJAS and REPUBLIKA, arranged in a semicircle, are placed to the left and right of the central motif respectively.

Edge
Reeded.

After World War I, when Latvia had become an independent state with its own national currency, among the authors of the new lats coins was the graphic artist Rihards Zariņš. For the obverse of the 5-lats silver coin he chose his 1921 design of the large coat of arms of the Republic of Latvia, which was created on the basis of the draft design of the State coat of arms, made by the graphic artist Vilhelms Krūmiņš; on the reverse he depicted a Latvian folk-maid.

Before World War II, the 5-lats coin became popular in a short time, and, like the statue that tops the FreedomMonument, obtained a symbolic meaning. People gave 5-lats silver coins to their children as gifts; they stored and kept them  "for a rainy day".

The 5-lats silver coin had a destiny unlike, perhaps, any other coin of the world – it became a symbol of Latvian freedom and sovereignty, a ray of hope, secretly stored by almost every family who lived in the occupied Latvia, was deported to Siberia, or went into exile, scattered over the whole world.

The Bank of Latvia has issued the gold coin to commemorate the tenth anniversary of restoration of the Latvian national currency, preserving the 5-lats silver coin's historic symbols of wealth and freedom of the people.