15 euro - The Finnish Boys

Eesti Pank is issuing a silver collector coin on 30 October dedicated to the Finnish Boys. The Finnish Boys were Estonians who volunteered to fight for Finland and fought in the Winter War and the Continuation War to resist the attempted occupation by the Soviet Union. This coin is the first in a new series of collector coins from Eesti Pank dedicated to resistance. Volunteers from Estonia fought in Finland during the Second World War for the freedom of Finland and the honour of Estonia, battling against the Red Army, but not under the Nazi German flag. After their return home they became widely called the Soomepoisid, or Finnish Boys. This name still lives on for them today even though the last Finnish Boy living in Estonia passed away in 2024. A total of over 3500 Estonians fought for Finland. Some of the Finnish Boys also fought against the Soviet Union in Estonia in 1944, giving hope that Estonia would regain its independence. The idea behind the series of collector coins dedicated to Resistance is to recognise activities and groups that in one way or another helped resist the occupation of Estonia and stood up for an independent and free Estonia. The design on the coin merges the Finnish and Estonian flags to symbolise the joint fight of the Estonian volunteers and the Finnish soldiers. It shows a rocky and snowy landscape with brave men marching to the aid of their ethnic kin. Above them is a motif from the Estonian Cross of Liberty that also appears on the Finnish Cross of Liberty. This was a symbol of Estonian military valour under which the soldiers went into battle. The obverse side shows the great coat of arms of the Republic of Estonia and the motto of the Finnish Boys, which translates as ‘For Estonia's honour and to secure the future!’. The silver coin was designed by Kaupo Kangro, whose main job is in architectural design, but who works on the side as a designer. He has previously entered several design competitions, including coin competitions at Eesti Pank. The coins were minted by the Lithuanian mint.