Lithuanian Euro Coins

Lithuania is an EU member state, and as such also a member of the Economic and Monetary Union. Its currency, the litas, has been pegged to the euro at 3.4528 litas to 1 euro since 2002, and it has been part of ERM II since 28 June 2004, shortly after the country joined the EU on 1 May 2004. In February 2013, the government of Lithuania approved a plan for euro adoption in 2015. This made it the last of the three Baltic States to adopt the euro, after Estonia (2011) and Latvia (2014).

Design of Lithuanian euro coins

Euro coins issued by Lithuania bear the symbol of the Lithuanian national emblem Vytis, as was the wish of the majority of the Lithuanian population. This wish was discovered through a public opinion survey made by the Bank of Lithuania, which, having estimated the results of the survey, formulated the terms and conditions of the tender for the design of plaster models for the national side of euro coins.

14 artists participated in the Bank of Lithuania open tender announced in 2004 and presented 54 plaster models. The Currency Design and Production Commission of the Bank of Lithuania selected five works for further consideration to be awarded prizes. The works by the sculptor Antanas Žukauskas from Vilnius was selected as the best.

On 24 February 2005 the Board of the Bank of Lithuania approved three plaster models by this author to be used for the national side of euro coins: for 1 and 2 euro coins; 10, 20 and 50 euro cent coins; and 1, 2 and 5 euro cent coins. The Vytis will be surrounded by 12 stars: against the background of vertical lines on 1 and 2 euro coins; against horizontal lines on 10, 20 and 50 euro c ent coins; and on a plain surface on 1, 2 and 5 euro cent coins. These euro and cent coins that will circulate in the entire euro area will be minted by the State Company Lithuanian Mint operating in Vilnius.

Lithuanian Starter-kits

The Baltic state announced in March 2014, that in advance to euro adoption three different types of starter-kits will be released to the public, by December 2014:

• 900.000 starter-kits for individuals: The kit contains 23 coins for a total of €11,59 (40.000 ltas)
• 60.000 starter-kits for small businesses: The kit contains 320 coins in mint-rolls, 8 rolls of coins with the usual number of coins in each (1, 2 and 5 cents - 50 coins, 10, 20, 50 cents - 40 coins, 1 and 2 euro - 25 coins). The value of the starter-kit rises to 111 euros
• 50.000 starter-kits for larger businesses: The larger starter-kits contain 600 coins with a total nominal value of 200 euros. They contain 15 rolls of all denominations, 3 rolls of 1 cent coins, 2 rolls of 2, 10, 20 cents, 2 rolls of 1 and 2 euros, 1 rolls of 5 and 50 cents coins

The Lithuanian 2 euro coin edge inscription

Edge
LAISVE, VIENYBE, GEROVE (Freedom, Unity, Well-Being)

Mintmarks on Lithuanian euro coins

Mintmark	Location
	Lietuvos monetų kalykla (Lithuanian Mint House, LMK) logo

Lithuanian BU sets

The Bank of Lithuania will also produce 35.00 BU sets and 7.000 Proof sets.