Estonia: New Silver Proof and Colour Coins Celebrate Estonian Participation at the Olympic Games in Paris.

Estonia’s central bank has previously issued twelve coins with the topic focused on the Olympic Games. In fact, Eesti Pank has a long tradition of issuing collector coins for the Olympics with their first coin released in 1992, just one year after the re-establishment of independence.

Estonia first competed as a nation at the 1920 Summer Olympics, two years after the country declared independence from the collapsed Russian Empire in 1918. The Estonian Government officially established the National Olympic Committee in 1923 and Estonia participated in the Winter Olympics in 1928. Estonian athletes took part in the Olympic Games until the country was invaded and occupied by the Soviet Union in 1940. The 1980 Summer Olympics sailing regatta was held in Tallinn, which was during the Soviet-occupied era. As Estonia emerged from occupation and independence was restored in 1991, Estonia has participated in all summer and winter Olympics. In total, Estonian athletes have amassed a collection of 44 Olympic medals, consisting of 14 gold, 11 silver and 19 bronze – winning most of their medals in wrestling (11), weightlifting (7), cross-country skiing (7) and athletics (6). In 2024, Estonia is scheduled to compete at the Summer Olympics in Paris which will be the nation's fourteenth appearance at the Games and ninth consecutive since 1992. A total of eleven athletes will compete in Athletics, Cycling, Fencing, Shooting, Sailing and swimming.

The silver proof and colour coins are produced by the Lithuanian Mint at their facilities in Vilnius and on behalf of the Bank of Estonia. The obverse and reverse sides are designed by Liis Dvorjanski who has created a light effect which depicts an iridescent and glow in the sky from the sun, forming the silhouette or shape of the Eiffel Tower onto the ground. Above the shape is the Estonian National Olympic insignia with flames coloured in blue and black, the country’s national colours with the five-ring Olympic below. At the bottom, near the rim is the coin’s denomination of 10 €. The reverse side incorporates a similar light effect with the national crest centred. The text EESTI VABARIIK 2024 is placed below the crest.

Available from the 6th May, each coin is encapsulated and presented in a heavy gauge two-piece card box accompanied with a certificate of authenticity. For additional information, please visit the retail webshop of Omniva, official retail/distributor for the Bank of Estonia.