Eesti Pank announces a design competition for a double collector coin dedicated to the tradition of the Song and Dance Festivals and a collector coin celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Estonian National Museum. Both individuals and groups of authors are expected to participate in the competition.

In 2009, 140 years pass from the beginning of organising Song Festivals and the Song and Dance Festival held in Tallinn next year will be already 25th. Eesti Pank will issue a gold collector coin with the nominal value of 100 kroons and a silver collector coin with the nominal value of 10 kroons to celebrate the anniversary of the Song and Dance Festivals tradition. Eesti Pank would like the design of the double coins to feature human figures or their groups symbolising or depicting singing or dancing. A design may be submitted also for one coin," Rait Roosve, Head of the Cash and Security Department of Eesti Pank commented on the requirements related to the design of the collector coins. The deadline for submitting duly completed designs to the competition dedicated to the Song Festival to Eesti Pank is on 19 January 2009 at 16.00. The specific technical, participation and assessment criteria are published on the web site of Eesti Pank.

In April next year, the Estonian National Museum will also celebrate its 100th anniversary. On this occasion, Eesti Pank will issue a silver collector coin with the nominal value of 10 kroons. "Taking into account the limitations provided in the competition reglement, we would like to find a design that reflects the importance of the Estonian National Museum in our cultural development and proceeds from the tradition of the Estonian spoke coins," said Roosve. The deadline for submitting duly completed designs to Eesti Pank is 15 December 2008 at 16.00. The specific technical, participation and assessment criteria are published on the web site of Eesti Pank.

Competition participants or groups of participants may submit more than one design per coin. The panel convened by Eesti Pank will disclose the results of the coin design competition dedicated to the Estonian National Museum by December 19, 2008 at the latest. The results of the design competition dedicated to the Song and Dance Festival will be disclosed on January 27, 2009 at the latest. After the issuance of the coins the authors of the winning designs will be awarded with 30,000 kroons.

For the first time, Eesti Pank organises a seminar to introduce the specialties of designing collector coins. The seminar will take place on 14 November and is intended for a wider circle of artists and designers. The seminar will cover the specifics of designing a collector coin and present the requirements to coin design arising from the manufacturing of coins. Seminar speakers include Head of the Cash and Security Department of Eesti Pank Rait Roosve, Head of the Design Department of Mint of Finland Erkki Vainio and Product Development Manager of Mint of Finland Tuomas Pinomaa. In addition, Kärt Summatavet, lector of the Estonian Academy of Arts will speak about the Estonian spoke coins. The detailed programme of the seminar is available on the web site of Eesti Pank. Please notify us of your attendance by telephone +372 668 0723 or by e-mail [email protected] by November 12.

An overview of the collector coins issued by Eesti Pank can be found on the web site of Eesti Pank at www.bankofestonia.info/pub/en/yldine/pangatahed/mynt/commemorative.html.