Snow, ice, and sweat? In Finland, a land of approximately 5 million people and roughly 3 million saunas, the sauna is considered an essential part of life. 

The Mint of Finland in the fall of 2018 will celebrate the sauna with a circulating commemorative €2 coin, one of two such issues in 2018. 

The obverse design by Erkki Vainio shows smoke rising from a sauna amid a natural setting, lake and trees nearby, and steam from two additional saunas seen in the background. A short open-air trek to a nearby pool or lake followed by a dip in the icey water often completes the experience. 

The coin has a mintage limit of 1 million pieces. 

The ringed-bimetallic coin has a copper-nickel core and copper-aluminum-nickel ring.

The coin’s outer ring depicts the 12 stars of the European flag. The common reverse shows a map of the European Union.

The €2 coin weighs 8.5 grams and measures 25.75 millimeters in diameter.

Each nation is allowed to issue up to two different circulating commemorative designs annually, with designs of their choosing, though few nations issue the maximum number of designs.

Joint euro programs like the 2015 coins honoring the 30th anniversary of flag of the European Union do not count toward this limit.

Special €2 commemorative coins can be obtained as change in regular circulation or purchased from the Mint of Finland online shop and from retailers. More details about the circulating version and Proof collectors’ versions will become available later in 2018.

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