Bank of Estonia

04/18/2023 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/18/2023 01:15

Eesti Pank approved the designs for the silver and gold collector coins for the Hanseatic town of Tartu

The Supervisory Board of Eesti Pank approved the design by Svetlin Georgiev Balezdrov as the winner of the competition to design a silver collector coin dedicated to Hanseatic Tartu, and the design by Heino Prunsvelt as the winner for the gold collector coin.

Eesti Pank will issue a silver collector coin and a gold one in 2024, both dedicated to the Hanseatic town of Tartu. The coins will be the last in a series of collector coins for the Hanseatic towns of Estonia.

The Supervisory Board of Eesti Pank approved the design Aken, or Window, by Svetlin Georgiev Balezdrov, which was chosen as the winning design by the panel invited by the central bank for the design competition for the silver coin for Tartu. The design shows a window that opens on a view of Tartu town hall, and it incorporates the name of Tartu in a way that emphasises art and the artistic traditions of the town, and displays the town coat of arms. Second place in the competition went to a design by Riho Luuse, and third place went to Mait Luidalepp.

The winner in the competition to design the gold coin for Tartu was Ursula by Heino Prunsvelt. The design features a portrait of a girl that comes from the terracotta sculpture decorating the south facade of St. John's Church in Tartu. The Gothic St. John's Church is one of the oldest churches in Estonia, dating back to the 14th century, and its many terracotta sculptures make it unique in Europe. Second place in the competition for the gold coin went to a design by Svetlin Georgiev Balezdrov, and third place to another design by Heino Prunsvelt.

Silver collector coin

Gold collector coin

Preparations will be made to mint the coins from the winning designs from the design competitions, and the designs may be changed for technical reasons.

The prize for the winner of the design competition is 1500 euros, with the second placed design receiving 1000 euros, and the third placed 700. The prizes will be awarded separately for the designs for the gold coin and for the silver coin.

The programme for issuing coins for 2023-2024.

Further information:

Hanna Jürgenson
Eesti Pank
Tel 56920930
Press enquiries: [email protected]