Finland’s coinage is a record of its sovereignty. The markka was introduced in 1860 as a quarter-ruble while Finland was a Grand Duchy of the Russian Empire, broke from the ruble onto a silver standard in 1865, went gold in 1878 to the Latin Monetary Union standard, and became an independent gold-backed currency in 1917. A 1963 redenomination replaced 100 old markkaa with 1 new markka; the markka ran until the euro changeover (pegged at 5.94573 mk = €1 in 1999, cash withdrawn in 2002).
Denominations
1, 5, 10 Penniä — Copper (1864–1916)
- Issued: 1864–1916, Helsinki mint (founded 1864 at Katajanokka); imperial coinage carries the Russian double eagle.
- Composition: copper.
Value: Compare authenticated sold listings before buying or pricing.
25, 50 Penniä — Silver (1864–1916)
- Issued: 1864–1916, Helsinki mint.
- Composition: .750 fine silver.
Value: Compare authenticated sold listings before buying or pricing. For metal value, use the melt calculator.
1 Markka — Silver, Imperial Issue (1864–1915)
- Issued: 1864–1915 (large-lettering 1864–1870; KM3.2 type 1872–1915), Helsinki mint.
- Composition: .868 fine silver — an unusually high fineness (the Latin-standard fineness); 5.1828 g, 24 mm, 0.1446 oz ASW.
- Key dates: lower-mintage late dates are the collector keys — 1893-L is reported at 254,000.
- Notable varieties: large-lettering type (1864–1870) vs. KM3.2 type (1872–1915); obverse carries the crowned imperial double eagle with the fineness text in Finnish (translating to “94.48 pieces from one pound of fine silver”).
- Mintage highlights: reported mintages include 1,002,000 (1874 S), 841,000 (1890 L), 484,000 (1892 L), and 254,000 (1893 L) per NGC/NumisMaster data.
In this wiki:
Value: Check live sold listings on the linked guide before buying or pricing. For metal value, use the melt calculator.
20 Markkaa — Gold, Nicholas II (1903–1913)
- Issued: 1903–1904 and 1910–1913 at the Helsinki mint (KM9.2, Fr-3) — the premier gold coin of the Grand Duchy of Finland.
- Composition: .900 fine gold; 6.4516 g, 21.3 mm, 0.1867 oz AGW.
- Key dates: Heritage records a mintage of 112,000 for the 1903-L issue.
- Notable varieties: obverse shows the crowned imperial Russian double eagle with the Finnish arms on its breast and “FINLAND ❀ SUOMI” below; the reverse literally spells out its gold content in Finnish — “0,645..GRM. KUPARIA ❀ 5,806..GRM. KULTAA.” (the copper and gold weights).
- Mintage highlights: 1903-L: 112,000 (Heritage Auctions data).
In this wiki:
Value: Check live sold listings on the linked guide before buying or pricing. For metal value, use the melt calculator.
1 Markka — Silver, Republic Issue (1964–1968)
- Issued: 1964–1968, in the new-markka era after the 1963 redenomination (100 old markkaa = 1 new markka).
- Composition: .350 fine silver; 6.4 g, 24 mm; from 1969 the 1 markka went copper-nickel with no silver.
- Key dates: the last silver markka — this short 1964–1968 silver run is the natural bookend to the imperial silver markka.
- Notable varieties: obverse carries the Finnish heraldic lion with “SUOMEN TASAVALTA.”
In this wiki:
Value: Check live sold listings on the linked guide before buying or pricing. For metal value, use the melt calculator.
10 Markkaa — 50th Anniversary of Independence (1967)
- Issued: 1967 only (KM50).
- Composition: .900 fine silver; 23.75 g, 35 mm, 3.1 mm thick.
- Key dates: 1967 only — Finland’s great independence commemorative.
- Notable varieties: designed by Heikki Häiväoja — five whooper swans in flight on the obverse with “SUOMI FINLAND 1917 1967”; reverse shows stylized buildings and bridge above “S 10 H MARKKAA”; edge lettered “50 ITSENÄINEN SUOMI 50 FINLAND SJÄLVSTÄNDIGT” (50 Independent Finland).
- Mintage highlights: 1,000,000.
In this wiki:
Value: Check live sold listings on the linked guide before buying or pricing. For metal value, use the melt calculator.
Bullion & modern issues
Finland has no modern flagship bullion series covered in this wiki. The gold anchor is the imperial 20 markkaa gold of Nicholas II, which trades on gold content plus numismatic premium.
In this wiki:
Value: Check live sold listings on the linked guide before buying or pricing. For metal value, use the melt calculator.
Values move; always check live sold listings on the linked guides. Key dates and high-value pieces require authentication.
Values move — always check live sold listings on the linked entries before buying or selling; the .868 imperial fineness and the gold-content-on-the-coin legends are the diagnostics that separate genuine Finnish silver and gold from copies.
Europe Red Book v2 research chapter, published September 15, 2026. Values are intentionally excluded; use authenticated sold-market evidence.