Lithuania: Poignant 20th Year National Anniversaries Feature on New €20 Silver Proof and Colour Coin

This year, Lithuania marks the 25^th anniversary of becoming a member of NATO as well as having joined the European Union. After the restoration of independence from Soviet occupation of this Baltic Nation in 1990, Lithuania’s successive governments sought greater economic and civil cooperation with countries in the West. Democratic principles and a market economy were soon restored which resulted in an almost complete overhaul of the country’s neglected and antiquated infrastructure. This was primarily achieved through international investment from neighbouring European countries and the United States through the Lithuanian diaspora. These efforts resulted in a much higher standard of living within a short period time which soon became parallel with many other European countries. As such, Lithuania was granted candidate status to join the European Union in December 1998, the first step to eventual full membership. Soon after and in an effort to safeguard continued Lithuanian sovereignty most especially from future Russian aggression and occupation, Lithuania was invited to apply for full membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation – NATO during the alliance’s summit in Prague in November 2002.

Ultimately, the first of Lithuania’s national objectives were achieved on the 29^th March 2004 when NATO announced that together with Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia they would become full members of the alliance. With the additions of these seven European nations, the NATO alliance expanded to twenty six countries and resulted in the largest wave of enlargement in NATO’s then-fifty five year history. This was considered an important achievement for Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia who were formerly part of the now-defunct Soviet Union. For Lithuanians, NATO membership ensured not only military strength and homeland protection, but also a continuance of foreign investment, which saw this step as a guarantee of stability and economic security.

In May 2003, Lithuania held a national referendum for its citizens to have their say on membership of the European Union. Of the more than 2.6 million votes cast, over ninety percent supported Lithuania joining the EU. The European Union’s council announced the day of accession as the 1^st May 2004 for Lithuania and the other candidate member countries whose membership was also approved. On this day,  Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia took part in the ceremony hosted by Ireland’s government as they were serving in the capacity of the EU’s rotating presidency. Further European economic integration was achieved by Lithuania when on the 1^st January 2015, they joined the Euro-zone and adopted the Euro currency as national legal tender.

The new silver proof and colour coins are produced by the Mint of Lithuania at their facilities in Vilnius on behalf of the Bank of Lithuania and designed by Antanas Pocevičius. The design benefits from an innovative un-even surface along with incused insignias and lettering. The centre of the obverse side features Lithuania’s tricolour flag whose colours symbolise the independence of the Lithuanian State and which provided the basis for becoming a full member of both NATO and the EU. The flag is accompanied by the coat of arms of Lithuania, the Vytis, shown to the right of the flag. The inscription LIETUVA (Lithuania) and year of issue 2024 is placed to the lower right of the flag and the denomination 20€ is seen to the left of the flag. The distinctive mintmark of the Lithuanian Mint is placed to the lower left. Featured in the background of the coin are elements of both the NATO and EU symbols which are depicted at different matting levels. The reverse side also features Lithuania’s tricolour, which is accompanied by the NATO insignia to the left and the EU insignia of a circle of twelve five-pointed stars shown on the right side. In a vertical direction is Lithuania’s accession date to NATO shown as 2004 03 29 placed below the flag. In the opposite vertical placement, above the flag is the accession date of Lithuania to the EU shown as 2004 01 05. On the background of the left side is the text of Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty translated into Lithuanian and shown in micro-text. On the background of the right side is the musical score of the EU’s anthem – Ode to Joy from Beethoven’s 9th Symphony.

The Bank of Lithuania have indicated the release date for this coin will occur during the first quarter of 2024. For additional information on this and other coins released by the Bank of Lithuania, please visit their online webshop.