Finnish Coin Commemorates Tove Jansson and the Moomins

September 7, 2004 -- On August 9, 2004 - the 90th anniversary of her birth - Mint of Finland has issued a silver collector coin to honor Tove Jansson's work as artist, author and illustrator.

Tove Jansson (1914-2001) is the creator of the world-famous children's books about the Moomins - a family of small, white trolls who live peacefully in the strange and mysterious Moomin valley, where tolerance and sound values rule. The books are a reading staple for Scandinavian children, but also appeal to adults for their sophisticated sense of humor.

Ms. Jansson was born in Helsinki, Finland, in 1914, and became an accomplished artist before creating the stories about the Moomins in the 1930s as a response to the climate of fear and hatred that ruled much of Europe. The first Moomin book was published in 1946, and in 1953 she began drawing a Moomin comic strip for The London Evening News. Today, the Moomin books and newspaper cartoon strips have been translated into more than 30 languages, and the Moomin TV cartoons are being aired worldwide. Moomin World in Naantali is one of Finland's most popular tourist attractions, and there is even a Moomin museum in Tampere.

Designed by sculptor Pertti Mäkinen – winner of a design competition -the jury judged his entry "Whirlwind" to be vivid, playful, and suitably representative of the Moomin spirit. The obverse of the coin features Jansson's face, the skyline, an artist's palette, a crescent, and a sailboat. On the reverse are three Moomin characters, with positions influenced by a whirlwind.

Minted in 92.5% sterling silver by the Mint of Finland, the 10 Euro silver coin carries a diameter of 38.6 mm and a weight of 27.4 grams. The worldwide issue limit is 20,000 coins in proof quality and 50,000 in brilliant uncirculated finish.

The proof version comes in a jewel box with a certificate of authenticity, whereas the BU coin is packaged in a printed folder with illustrations of Tove Jansson and some of the Moomin characters.

The Moomins are also the featured topic on Finland's second uncirculated coin set of 2004, which includes the new €2 circulating commemorative coin – Finland's first – that celebrates the enlargement of the European Union.

Further information about these issue is available from Royal Scandinavian Mint on the web at www.scandmint.com, by calling toll-free 1-877-552-MINT, by e-mail office@scandmint.com, or at mailing address PO Box 3690, Salt Lake City, UT, 84110-3690.





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