2 euro FINLAND (2006) Universal Suffrage

in the coin centre simplified faces of a woman and a man rotated with chins to each other; along the left edge with concave digits date: 1.10.1906; along the right edge with concave lettering: FI (code for Finland in the ISO 3166-2 standard) divides year of issue 2006; at the edge a ring of twelve five-pointed stars - symbol of the European Union

left from the coin centre face value 2, on the right inscription: EURO; in the background of the inscription a simplified map of Europe showing borders of countries - members of the EU in 1999; in the background of the map vertically six parallel lines ending on both sides with five-pointed stars (the reverse is common for all euro coins)

reeded with concave inscription:

(Finland in Finnish and Swedish as well as three lion heads)

4 X 2006

still in circulation

Pertti Mäkinen (concave initial M at the left eye of man's or woman's face on the obverse), Luc Luycx (initials LL below letter 'O' in EURO on the reverse)

Rahapaja Oy (The Mint), Vantaa (concave initial of mint's director Makkonen M at the left eye of man's or woman's face on the obverse)

2006	2 467 100	M	+ 20 000 in annual boxed sets
			+ 9 600 in commemorative sets

On Finnish coins produced after 1945 the following initials of directors of the Finnish Mint can be found:

• S - Isak Gustaf Sundell (in years 1912 - 1947)

• L - Vesa Uolevi Liuhto (1948)

• H - Peippo Uolevi Helle (1948 - 1958)

• S - Allan Alarik Soiniemi (1958 - 1975)

• K - Timo Kauko Koivuranta (1976 -1983)

• N - Reino Tapio Nevalainen (1983 - 1987)

• M - Reino Tapio Makkonen (1987 - 2006)

On the Finnish commemorative coin of 2 euro from 2006 the obverse designer - Pertti Mäkinen placed his own initial symmetrically to the initial of mint's director Reino Tapio Makkonen. Hence two letters 'M' on the obverse.

Finns were the first nation in the world to equalise the rights of women and men to vote and to candidate for the elections. The Parliament of the Grand Duchy of Finland (then an autonomous unit within Russia) on October 1, 1906 gave the right to vote and to candidate to those who before January 1 of the election year were 24 years old, regardless of their gender. Finnish commemorative coin of 2 euro 2006 marks the centenary of this decision.