On Thursday, 27 May, Latvijas Banka is issuing a gold collector coin "The Key". The motif of the key in the Latvian cultural heritage has served as the inspiration for artist Laimonis Šēnbergs.

Latvian cultural heritage, the lock and the fittings of a hope chest, beautifully crafted by ancient artisans, served as the artistic inspiration for the small gold coin "The Key".

A key bears a special, one may even say, a slightly mystical symbolic meaning. It has the ability both to unlock and to lock: to open the door to a particular room, grant access to riches or to deny these opportunities. A key has the power that elevates it above all the other objects in the world.

In Japan, the key is seen as a sign of luck as it symbolically opens the doors to hidden treasures of the soul. In artworks related to Christianity, two keys reflect St. Peter's power to open the gates of paradise and hell. There are two keys also on the coat of arms of the Pope. In the Medieval period, the ritual of handing over the keys played a symbolic role: it was a complete takeover of power. In fairy tales and stories, the key often symbolises a variety of obstacles that need to be overcome in order to solve a secret.

For the attention of the interested parties!

The coin will be available for purchase only on the website e-monetas.lv from 12.00 (noon) on 27 May. Due to the Covid19 pandemic, the new numismatic products will not be available at the Cashier's Office of Latvijas Banka. For the time being, it will be possible to receive the coins purchased on the website e-monetas.lv by post only.

The graphic design of the collector coin was created by artist Laimonis Šēnbergs. The author of the plaster model is Ligita Franckeviča.

The coin was struck by Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt (the Netherlands).

Price: EUR 98.

Mintage: 2000 coins.

Purchase limit: 2 coins.