Finland 2014 5€ Aland - Animals

The Animals of the Provinces series is the third coin series minted in honour of Finland’s historic provinces. The first collector coin launched by Mint of Finland in Åland in 2011 paid tribute to fishing, the traditional local means of sustenance and livelihood. For the Provincial buildings series, Åland received a coin commemorating the Sälskär lighthouse in 2013.

Proper is one of nine historical provinces in Finland.

On the reverse side of the coin there is the historical province's coat of arms and the face value, 5 EURO.

The coin depicts depicts the white-tailed eagle in its nest.

The emblematic bird of the Åland islands, the white-tailed eagle, is an impressive sight in flight, as the bird’s wingspan can reach up to two metres. The regal white-tailed eagle is protected in Finland and is one of the symbols of successful conservation.

Finland’s white-tailed eagle population declined at the end of the 19th century, and the species eventually reached the brink of extinction in Finland until the population was successfully revived.

There are nine historical provinces in Finland: Åland, Tavastia, Karelia, Lapland, Ostrobothnia, Satakunta, Savo, Uusimaa and Finland Proper.