Estonia

2017

Commemorative coin

Estonia's Independence

Official Journal of the European Union

The coin features the sinuous trunk of an oak tree where on one side there are depicted the branches and on the other side the leaves. The branches symbolize the time of revolutions and hardships from which the road to Estonia's Independence was paved. The leaves symbolize the strength, achievements and longevity of Estonia. At the bottom left side of the trunk there is the word ‘MAAPÄEV’ (Provisional Assembly of Estonia) and above that the year ‘1917’. At the bottom right side there is the name of the issuing country ‘EESTI’ and below that the year of issuance ‘2017’. The coin’s outer ring depicts the 12 stars of the European flag.

Additional information

With the February Revolution in Russia in 1917, tsarism was also abolished in Estonia. On 12 April 1917, the provisional government of Russia issued a decree on Estonia's autonomy. After general, indirect elections, the provisional parliament of the Estonian Governorate (Ajutine Maanõukogu, unofficially called Maapäev) was constituted on 14 July 1917, with its seat in Tallinn. Shortly after the October Revolution in Petrograd, it declared itself the supreme authority in Estonia. The Bolsheviks' demand for a self-dissolution of the state parliament was not met by the deputies. As a result, the Bolsheviks forcibly dissolved the state parliament - the MPs went underground. The coin shows on the left - symbolizing the year 1917 - bare branches and the winding trunk of an oak tree representing Estonia's path to independence, and on the right leaves and acorns of a common oak (oak leaves symbolizing strength and longevity are also on the Estonian coat of arms).

Edge lettering

Designer