500 markkaa FINLAND (1951-1952) XV Summer Olympic Games Helsinki

in the coin centre large face value: 500 (markkaa) inside a wreath of oak leaves; along the bottom edge: MARKKAA along the top edge: * SUOMI * FINLAND* (Finland in Finnish and Swedish); ring of bows at the edge

in the coin centre olympic rings; above Roman numeral: XV; below year of issue; along the top edge: OLYMPIA (Olympiad in Finnish); along the bottom edge: HELSINKI; ring of bows at the edge

plain with 18 concave symbols of tied hands

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1 I 1994

Aarre Aaltonen, Matti Visanti

Rahapaja Oy (The Mint), Vantaa (below the wreath on the obverse initial H of Finnish mint director Helle)

1951	18 500	H
1952	586 500	H

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)

The commemorative coin of 500 markkaa from 1951 and 1952, was struck in order to promote the XV Summer Olympics, which were held in the capital of Finland - Helsinki in 1952. The Finnish team won 22 olympic medals, including six gold. The coin itself is not only the first ever Finnish commemorative coin, but also the first ever world coin showing the theme of modern Olympic Games.