20 Euro Commemorative

This 20 euro commemorative from Finland in 2002 was struck in gold to mark the debut of the euro currency, one of the first such issues in the new monetary union.

It weighs about 6.22 grams and features a design by Heikki Häiväoja, showing a stylized elk on the reverse, symbolizing Finnish wildlife. The obverse bears the standard euro-era portrait of the issuing authority. While it's often assumed these coins were minted in large numbers, exact figures remain unclear; records from that period are spotty.

Mintage aside, the coin's composition is 917/1000 gold, recycled from previous bullion stocks, which kept costs down for the mint. Don't ask me why anyone would melt down old coins just for this; sometimes, bureaucracy has its reasons.