Finland 2€ commemorative coin 2025 - Finnish state visits – diplomacy and foreign policy (Coin card Fi/Swed)

Feature: Defence

Description: The design features the contours of Lithuania. The state borders are surrounded by a stylised spine barrier, symbolising the concept of holistic and whole-of-society defence. The image of the hedgehog also represents the openness and fragility of free societies, which must be defended, to the utmost, against external threats. Lithuania is presented as a hedgehog that remains at the ready to defend itself always. The centre of the design bears the inscription “LIETUVA” (LITHUANIA), the year of issue “2025”, and the mintmark of the Lithuanian Mint. The coin’s outer ring bears the 12 stars of the European flag.

Issuing volume: 500 000 coins

Feature: Finnish state visits – diplomacy and foreign policy

Description: The design features an abstract door symbolizing state visits, with a mirror-finish rectangular shape. The mintmark, the year 2025, and the lettering “FI” are positioned vertically along the left edge of the rectangle. The rectangle has a rounded top that follows the edge of the coin. Below and to the right, the surface is grooved with horizontal lines, while a circular shape intersects the curve of the image area. The coin’s outer ring bears the 12 stars of the European flag.

Issuing volume: 204 000 coins

Mdina, the ancient capital of Malta, is perched on elevated ground at the centre of the island and traces its origins to at least the 8th century BC. Originally known as Melite during Roman times, the city's defensive perimeter was retrenched by the Byzantines. Notably, it withstood a Moorish siege in 1429 and served as a military post during the Great Siege of 1565. Mdina's importance declined after Valletta was built. Under British rule, its fortifications were decommissioned. Today, Mdina is a preserved historical city, housing museums, archives, and heritage sites, and is listed on UNESCO's tentative World Heritage list.

Minting Limit 40,000

Feature:

Issuing volume: 741 500 coins

Feature:
Issuing volume: 990 000 coin
Miki Muster (1925 – 2018) studied sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Ljubljana. About a year before completing his studies, he began working for the newspaper Slovenski poročevalec, later renamed Tedenska tribuna. Each week, he illustrated a one-page serialised comic strip featuring Zvitorepec, Trdonja, and Lakotnik, the characters for which he remains best known. Over 20 years, he created 45 stories. Additionally, over a six-year period, he illustrated 20 picture books for Slovenski poročevalec (later for Delo and Ljubljanski dnevnik), with Medvedek Neewa, Gozdni prijatelji, Lupinica, and Lučka na severu among the most popular.

Driven by his passion for animation, Muster independently produced a commercial for tights, without a commission, which proved so successful that further projects soon followed. He went on to create animated advertisements for brands such as Viki krema, Cikcak bunnies, Jelovica, and Čunga Lunga chewing gum. His ambition to make animated films for children took him to Munich, where he worked for Bavaria Film. Over 17 years, Muster created an astonishing ten hours of animated films, along with five to ten commercials each year for Ljubljana TV and comic strips for German clients.

Following his retirement and return to Slovenia, he continued working on smaller projects with longer deadlines. During this period, he focused on political cartoons.

To mark the 100th anniversary of Miki Muster's birth, the Republic of Slovenia is issuing a commemorative coin featuring his iconic comic strip characters – Trdonja, Zvitorepec, and Lakotnik. The design vividly captures their defining traits: Trdonja’s stubbornness, Zvitorepec’s cunning, and Lakotnik’s insatiable hunger.