5 euro - Linden leaf

On Tuesday, 3 November, Latvijas Banka is issuing a silver collector coin "Linden Leaf" dedicated to ecology, emphasizing the importance of taking good care of our environment. For the attention of the media and interested parties! The purchase of coins will be possible only on the website e-monetas.lv from 12.00 (noon) on 3 November. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the new numismatic products will not be available at the Cashier's Office of Latvijas Banka. It will be possible to receive the coins purchased on the website e-monetas.lv either by post or to pick them up at the Cashier's Office of Latvijas Banka. Should you choose to pick them up at Latvijas Banka, please note that wearing a face mask covering your mouth and nose is mandatory during your visit at the entrance hall and Cashier's Office of Latvijas Banka. Ecology has become a major topic of our daily agenda because of the substantial changes affecting our environment. With increasingly greater numbers of people moving to urban areas, one of the most important tasks of urban developers is to make cities as pleasant to live in and green as possible. This has resulted in the concept of a sustainable city where everything is in balance with the environment. Unlike many other big cities, Riga is comparatively green. This quality is becoming more essential with more urban development. Green areas improve the microclimate since they purify the air and water, thus improving human health. They are both a cultural heritage and part of an easy economical solution to reduce the human impact on the environment. Like a leaf has its venation pattern, a city also has a network of streets, overpasses and roads. The network of Riga streets has been designed for people, connecting them with places in the urban environment, similar to the veins of a leaf transporting substances throughout the leaf. The linden tree is one of the most common and resistant trees you can find in Riga. At the same time, this tree, which lives up to 200–300 years, symbolises one of the most precious resources of the city. Linden trees capture large amounts of dust and give city dwellers clean air in return. In a year, one healthy tree produces oxygen for at least 10 people. Nowadays, this common and simple component of nature has to be appreciated and cherished. Urban nature is extremely beneficial but also critically vulnerable. This is the balance humans have to strike to preserve their urban environment livable. We can all make our contribution to shaping a greener and more pleasant urban environment by changing or adapting our daily habits. The collector coin dedicated to ecology was developed as an environment-friendly project: recycled silver was used for minting, and recycled paper was used for producing its packaging and informational materials. The graphic design of the collector coin was created by artist Mārcis Kalniņš, and the author of the plaster model was Ligita Franckeviča.