Finland 2014 5€ Proper - Animals

The Animals of the Provinces series is the third coin series minted in honour of Finland’s historic provinces. The first provincial coin for Finland Proper, struck by Mint of Finland in 2010, commemorated the province’s tradition of high-quality wood carving with a depiction of the Rusko tankard.

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 the fox with Turku Castle in the background.
The emblematic animal of Finland Proper, the fox, is a wily protagonist of many fairy stories and folk tales. The fox is an adaptable animal that is not overly choosy about its habitat or food. Despite being hunted extensively, the fox remains common all over Finland. Its intelligence and adaptability have enabled the fox to survive in diverse environments regardless of hunting.

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