Lithuania

Commemorative coin

2021

Dzūkija

(Part of the National series " Lithuanian Etnographic Regions ")

Official Journal of the European Union

The design features a coat of arms with an armoured-clad soldier holding a halberd in his right hand and leaning with his left arm against a silver Baltic shield. The coat of arms placed on a beam is held by two lynxes. Below hangs a ribbon with a Latin inscription EX GENTE BELICOSISSIMA POPULUS LABORIOSUS (HARD-WORKING PEOPLE FROM A FIERCE TRIBE). The composition is surrounded by inscriptions LIETUVA (LITHUANIA) and DZŪKIJA, the year of issue (2021) and the mintmark of the Lithuanian Mint. The design is realised by Rolandas Rimkūnas. The coin’s outer ring depicts the 12 stars of the European flag.

Additional information

The coin is dedicated to Dzūkija (Central Lithuania), the region in the south-east of the country with the capital Vilnius and the cultural centre Alytus. Dzūkian (South Aukshaitic), a dialect of Lithuanian, is spoken here. The coin shows the coat of arms of Dzūkija, which was designed in 2003 by Arvydas Každailis, the creator of Lithuania's national coat of arms, based on the seal of the medieval Grand Duke Kęstutis or the coat of arms of the Principality of Trakai, part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which existed from 1337 to 1413. It shows an armoured knight with a shield and a murder axe, flanked by two Eurasian lynxes and above the Latin motto "EX GENTE BELLICOSISSIMA POPULUS LABORIOSUS" (from the most warlike tribe a hardworking people). This honours the memory of the Baltic tribe of Jatwingers who lived on the territory of the Dzūkija region.

Edge lettering

Designer