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Latvia’s unique Linden Leaf coin earned the top spot in the Best Silver Coin category at the 2022 Coin of the Year (COTY) awards. The leaf-shaped coin, dated 2020, is dedicated to urban ecology.

As described by Latvijas Banka:

With greater numbers of people moving to urban areas, we have to ensure that cities are as attractive and livable as possible without destroying the planet. A sustainable city improve the urban environment and the quality of life of residents. Sustainable means in balance with the environment. The network of Riga streets has been designed for people, connecting them with places in the urban environment, the same as the veins in a leaf transporting substances throughout the leaf tissues. All of it makes a whole.

The coin’s graphic designer was Mārcis Kalniņš, who made his debut in 2016 with the collector coin, “The Earth.” The plaster model was created by Ligita Franckeviča.

The obverse of the coin has the shape of a linden leaf, and its obverse features a leaf venation pattern. The inscription “5 euro” is placed slantwise in a semicircle in the middle to the left of the line joining the base with the tip of the leaf, the year 2020 – at the bottom, but the inscription “Latvija” – in the middle to the right of the line. On the reverse, the network of Riga streets symbolically depicts the leaf venation.

Keeping with the theme of the coin, recycled silver was used for minting. The Linden Leaf coin weighs 18.13 g and measures 32 mm (from base to tip of leaf). Mintage of the coin is limited to 5,000 coins. It was minted by Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt (The Netherlands).