• 750,000 coins will be minted
• There will be 10,000 coin cards issued, which will sell for 10 euros each
• The coin and coin card will go on sale at 12.00 in the Omniva online shop
• Coins and coin cards will be available from the Eesti Pank museum from 10.00 on 28 January

This year is the 200th anniversary of the discovery of Antarctica. This important historical event is linked to Estonia because one of the first men to see Antarctica in 1820 was the Baltic German seafarer Fabian Gottlieb Benjamin von Bellingshausen, who was born in Saaremaa and who documented the discovery. To commemorate this significant historical moment, Eesti Pank is issuing on 27 January 750,000 two-euro circulation coins with a special Antarctica 200 design, of which 10,000 will be BU (brilliant uncirculated) quality and packaged as collector items on a coin card.

The two-euro commemorative coin dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the discovery of Antarctica and the coin card were designed by the artists Tiiu Pirsko and Mati Veermets. The design shows the ship Vostok in which Admiral von Bellingshausen sailed around the world.

The coin will go on sale at 12.00 on 27 January in the Omniva online shop. The Eesti Pank museum shop will start to sell the coins and coin cards on 28 January from 10.00. Please note that this is two hours earlier than usual. The coin cards will not be available from post offices. Up to five coin cards and ten rolls of coin can be bought in one purchase. The Eesti Pank Museum and the museum shop are open from Tuesdays to Fridays 12-17 and on Saturdays at 11-16.

The official presentation of the Antarctica 200 commemorative coin and coin card will be held at the Paks Margareeta tower at Pikk 70, Tallinn, at 12.00 on 27 January.

What are commemorative coins?

A two-euro commemorative coin is a circulation coin with the usual common side and a special commemorative design on the national side to commemorate a particular significant national or European event or topic. The coins are all legal tender throughout the euro area, so they can be used for payments like any other euro coin. Eesti Pank has issued five commemorative coins with special designs for Estonia since 2016, and one coin jointly with Latvia and Lithuania.

Additional information:
Mart Siilivask
Eesti Pank
Tel: 668 0965,
Mobile: 5697 9146
Email: [email protected]