The premier gold coin of the Grand Duchy of Finland: a 20-markkaa piece struck at Helsinki under Nicholas II, carrying the Russian imperial double eagle with the Finnish arms on its breast — and the legend “FINLAND ❀ SUOMI” beneath. The reverse literally spells out its gold content in Finnish. One of the most collected Russian-imperial-issue gold coins outside Russia proper.
Key facts
- Gold, .900 fine (9 parts gold, 1 part copper); weight 6.4516 g; diameter 21.3 mm; AGW 0.1867 oz; fine gold 5.80645 g (Heritage Auctions data, KM9.2, Fr-3).
- Struck 1903–1904 and 1910–1913 at the Helsinki mint; Heritage records a mintage of 112,000 for the 1903-L issue.
- Obverse: crowned imperial Russian double eagle with the Finnish arms on the breast, “FINLAND ❀ SUOMI” below; reverse: “20 MARKKAA” within a corded circle, with “0,645..GRM. KUPARIA ❀ 5,806..GRM. KULTAA.” (the copper and gold weights) around.