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.