10 markkaa FINLAND (1995) Finland in the European Union

in the coin centre whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus) flying leftwards; around a ring of twelve five-pointed stars - symbol of the European Union; along the top edge: EU 1995 (EUROOPAN UNIONI in Finnish or EUROPEISKA UNIONEN in Swedish - European Union); along the bottom edge: SUOMI FINLAND (Finland in Finnish and Swedish)

in the coin centre large face value: 10 (markkaa); on the left branches and fruits of a rowan (Sorbus aucuparia); along the right edge: MARKKAA MARK (markkaa in Finnish and Swedish)

plain

1 I 1995

28 II 2002

Pertti Mäkinen, Antti Neuvonen

Rahapaja Oy (The Mint), Vantaa (among leaves above the letter 'M' in MARKKAA on the reverse initial M of the mint director Makkonen)

1995

500 000

M

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)

Until the collapse of the Soviet Union Finland was following the principle of international neutrality not to annoy its largest neighbor. The negotiations for the accession to the European Union has begun only on January 1, 1993. On October 16, 1994, there was a national referendum in which nearly 57% of the population were in favor of membership. Less than three months later, on January 1, 1995, Finland became the 14th member of the European Union. Finnish commemorative coins of 10 markkaa 1995 commemorates this fact.

A whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus) is one of the six symbols of nature chosen by Finns in a voting in the eighties of the 20th century. Through the voting the nation was introduced to the need to preserve the Finnish environment. The symbols of nature became as well: silver birch (Betula pendula), granite rocks, lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis), brown bear (Ursus arctos) and european perch (Perca fluviatilis).