The 10 litas collectors (commemorative) coin issued into circulation by the Bank of Lithuania and dedicated to Baltic Studies, artistically immortalises an amber disc — a thick, irregularly-shaped archaeological find, reminiscent of a button, from the Neolithic period and assigned to the culture of the Balts. The new gold coin was presented to the public at Vilnius University, in the Aisčių menė (“Hall of the Aesti”).

“Baltic Studies, which explore the spiritual and material culture of the Balts, helped us, the Lithuanian nation, understand where we came from, who we are and what lies ahead for us in the future. In issuing this coin we sought to emphasise the importance of this branch of science and to honour those who contributed by studying and glorifying the Lithuanian and other Baltic languages, as well its cultural treasure-trove,” said Marius Jurgilas, Member of the Board of the Bank of Lithuania.

Vilnius University rector habil. dr. Jūras Banys, says that “The most important research in Baltic Studies is done here, in the Baltic Studies Department of Vilnius University, in close cooperation with global centres of Baltic Studies. It is no mistake that the coin dedicated to Baltic Studies is presented to the public here, in the very heart of this field of science, where the forces of researchers in Baltic linguistics, history, archaeology come together”.

From the 1960’s, Vilnius University has been famous as a global centre of Baltic Studies; in 1965 it began issuing the journal Baltistica, organising a congress of Baltic Studies researchers and other international conferences. Currently, around the world (mostly in Europe) there are over 30 centres of Baltic Studies, where Baltic languages and culture are studied and/or are taught by people ranging from one to more than a dozen.

This is the second coin of the series “Lithuanian Science”. The first was issued in 2012 and was dedicated to Lithuania’s achievements in cardiac surgery. The third coin of the series, dedicated to physics, will be issued in several years. In issuing coins from this series, the immortalised fields of science are discussed by the Bank of Lithuania with the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences.

Gold Au 999
Diameter 13.92 mm, Weight 1.244 g
Quality proof
The edge of the coin is plane.
Designed by Vaidotas Skolevičius

Mintage 5,000
Issued in 2014

The obverse of the coin features a stylized coat of arms of the Republic of Lithuania, which is surrounded by the inscriptions LIETUVA, 2014, 10 LITŲ (LITHUANIA, 2014, 10 LITAS).

On the reverse of the coin, an amber disc is artistically memorialized; it is an archaeological find from the Neolithic period attributed to Baltic ethnology. On the left side of the coin, an inscription BALTISTIKA (BALTISTICA) is arranged in a semi-circle.

The coin dedicated to Baltic Studies is the 86th collectors (commemorative) coin issued by the Bank of Lithuania and is also the 12th gold coin. The Bank of Lithuania has been issuing collectors (commemorative) coins since 1993. This tradition will live on even when Lithuania adopts the euro — the Bank of Lithuania will be able to issue commemorative and collectors euro coins.

Source of information: Bank of Lithuania: www.lb.lt