On Thursday, 27 May, Latvijas Banka is issuing a gold collector coin "The Key". The motif of the key in the Latvian cultural heritage has served as the inspiration for artist Laimonis Šēnbergs.
Latvian cultural heritage, the lock and the fittings of a hope chest, beautifully crafted by ancient artisans, served as the artistic inspiration for the small gold coin "The Key".
A key bears a special, one may even say, a slightly mystical symbolic meaning. It has the ability both to unlock and to lock: to open the door to a particular room, grant access to riches or to deny these opportunities. A key has the power that elevates it above all the other objects in the world.
In Japan, the key is seen as a sign of luck as it symbolically opens the doors to hidden treasures of the soul. In artworks related to Christianity, two keys reflect St. Peter's power to open the gates of paradise and hell. There are two keys also on the coat of arms of the Pope. In the Medieval period, the ritual of handing over the keys played a symbolic role: it was a complete takeover of power. In fairy tales and stories, the key often symbolises a variety of obstacles that need to be overcome in order to solve a secret.
The obverse of the coin features a key and elements of a hope chest fittings, while fittings of a lock are depicted on the reverse.
The collector coin's graphic designer is Laimonis Šēnbergs, the author of many collector coins, is one of the most outstanding Latvian poster artists and graphic designers of all time, promoter of the concept of collector coins. Ligita Franckeviča is the author of the coin's plaster model.
Starting from 12.00 (noon) on 27 May, the new coin will be on sale online via e-monetas.lv, Latvijas Banka's website for purchases of numismatic products. The price of the coin is 98.00 euro; the purchase limit for one buyer will be 2 coins. The mintage of the coin is 2000. The coin was struck by Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt (the Netherlands).
The collector coin "The Key" is legal tender in the Republic of Latvia, yet the release of such coins in circulation is highly unlikely, as collector coins are in fact works of art and are in high demand among coin collectors and other interested parties.