Item number: A2721

Year: AD 1931

Material: Silver

Size: 36.9 x 36.9 x 2.7 mm

Weight: 24.95 g

Manufactured by: Royal Mint, London

Provenance: Da Chen Stamps and Coins Collection 2015

This is a 5 Lati silver coin issued in AD 1931 by Latvia, a country situated along the Baltic Sea.

The obverse of the coin features the right-facing portrait of a young woman dressed in traditional Latvian national attire, framed by ears of wheat as decorative motifs. Surrounding the figure is an inscription of the national title “LATVIJAS REPUBLIKA” (Republic of Latvia) within a scroll-like border. The model for the portrait was Zelma Brauere, a proofreader employed at the National Securities Printing House. Upon its release, this coin was warmly received by the public and affectionately nicknamed “Milda”, after one of the most common females given names in Latvia.

The reverse of the coin features the national coat of arms of Latvia, whose design draws inspiration from the heraldic symbols of the former Duchy of Livonia and the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia. At the top of the shield are three five-pointed stars, representing Latvia’s three historical regions: Vidzeme, Latgale, and Kurzeme. Within the shield, a rising sun with seventeen rays symbolises the seventeen administrative districts that existed at the time of Latvia’s declaration of independence in AD 1920. Flanking the shield are a lion on the left, symbolising Courland, and a griffin on the right, representing Livonia. Below the coat of arms, the year of issue, “1931,” is inscribed, with the denomination “PIECI 5 LATI” (5 Lati) engraved beneath it.

The edge of the coin is inscribed with the legend “DIEVS ✶✶✶ SVĒTĪ ✶✶✶ LATVIJU ✶✶✶”, which translates as “God Bless Latvia.” This phrase also serves as the title and refrain of Latvia’s national anthem, which has been in use since the country’s declarations of independence in both AD 1920 and AD 1991.

In AD 1920, following the geopolitical upheavals of the First World War and the Russian Revolution, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania each emerged as newly independent states, having seceded from the Russian Empire. However, during the Second World War, beginning in AD 1940, all three Baltic nations came under successive occupations by both the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany. In AD 1945, although the war ended, the Baltic states remained under Soviet control — a situation that persisted until the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

The Latvian currency, the Lats, was abolished during the period of Soviet occupation. Nevertheless, the 5 Lati silver coin featuring the image of a young woman in traditional national dress endured as a powerful symbol of Latvian independence. It was especially cherished by Latvian nationalists in exile in the West, as well as those imprisoned in the Soviet Gulag labour camps. Following the restoration of independence in AD 1991, the image of the young woman from the 5 Lati coin has repeatedly reappeared on banknotes and commemorative coins, reaffirming its status as an emblem of national identity.

物件編號: A2721

年代: 公元 1931 年

材質: 銀

尺寸: 36.9 x 36.9 x 2.7 mm

重量: 24.95 g

製造地: 倫敦，皇家造幣廠

來源: 大城郵幣社 2015

這是一枚公元1931年，比鄰波羅的海的拉脫維亞發行的5拉特銀幣。

錢幣正面是以麥穗作為裝飾，面朝右側身著拉脫維亞傳統民族服飾的少女像。少女周圍以鐫刻國名「LATVIJAS REPUBLIKA」(拉脫維亞共和國) 的卷軸作為裝飾。少女的模特兒是服務於國家證券印刷廠的校對員澤爾瑪·布勞爾。這枚錢幣發行後受到國民歡迎，更親切地以拉脫維亞最常見的女性名字「米爾達」賦予暱稱。

錢幣背面則是拉脫維亞的國徽，國徽的靈感來自利沃尼亞公國及庫爾蘭和瑟米加利亞公國國徽上的圖案。盾牌頂端的三枚五角星象徵三大地區：維澤梅、拉特加爾和庫薩梅。盾牌裡面的朝陽共有十七道光芒，象徵公元1920年獨立的十七個行政區。左側的獅子象徵庫爾蘭，右側的獅鷲則代表立窩尼亞。國徽下緣標示發行的公元年份「1931」，再下方則是錢幣的面額「PIECI 5 LATI」(5拉特)。

錢幣側邊打印銘文「DIEVS ✶✶✶ SVĒTĪ ✶✶✶ LATVIJU ✶✶✶」意思是「上帝保佑拉脫維亞」，亦是公元1920和1991年兩度獨立以來，拉脫維亞使用的國歌。

公元1920年，拉脫維亞、愛沙尼亞和立陶宛在歷經第一次世界大戰和俄國革命等地緣震盪後，共同脫離俄羅斯成為獨立的新興國家。然而這三國在第二次世界大戰期間，公元1940年起遭到蘇聯和納粹德國的雙重佔領。公元1945年，即便隨著第二次世界大戰終結，這三國又落入蘇聯控制直到蘇聯解體為止。

拉脫維亞原先使用的貨幣「拉特」在遭到蘇聯佔領期間被廢止，然而這枚少女穿著民族服飾的5拉特銀幣卻成為拉脫維亞的獨立象徵，受到流亡西方和流放至古拉格勞改營的拉脫維亞民族主義者歡迎。公元1991年恢復獨立以來，5拉特的少女圖案也多次在鈔票和紀念幣上重現。