2014-01-31
The Board of the Bank of Lithuania decided that the national side of the future Lithuanian euro circulation coins and cents would bear the targeted year for the adoption of the euro in Lithuania — 2015.
“The first technological specimen euros with the Lithuanian side of the 2015 issue are due to be minted already this spring. The Lithuanian Mint is preparing for this work intensively,” said Marius Jurgilas, Member of the Board of the Bank of Lithuania.
Every state that has adopted the euro has the right to issue circulation euro coins with one side uniform for all states (the common side) and the other side different (the national side). The circulation euro coins issued by Lithuania will feature Vytis, the symbol on the coat-of-arms of our state. This was the wish of the majority of our country’s population, whose opinion was ascertained by the Bank of Lithuania during a public opinion poll as early as in 2004.
The Lithuanian circulation euro coins will bear three images with the symbol of the coat-of-arms of the State of Lithuania, Vytis, which were designed by sculptor Antanas Žukauskas. On the coins, Vytis will be surrounded by 12 stars: in the 1 and 2 euro coins — against a background of vertical lines; 10, 20 and 50 euro cent coins — against a background of horizontal lines; 1, 2 and 5 euro cent coins — against a plain background.
The circulation euro cent coins in six denominations and euro coins in two denominations featuring Vytis that will circulate across the euro area are due to be minted at the Lithuanian Mint operating in Vilnius.