Latvia 5 Euro 2023 "100 Years of Basketball in Latvia"

Latvia 5 Euro 2023 “100 Years of Basketball in Latvia” is a silver collector coin celebrating a century of organised basketball in Latvia. The year 2023 marked 100 years since the establishment of the Latvian Basketball Association in 1923. The issue also reflects Latvia’s long sporting tradition and its strong connection with basketball at professional, amateur and grassroots level. The coin was released on 31 October 2023 by Latvijas Banka.

The history commemorated by the coin includes one of the most important achievements of Latvian basketball: the national men's team won the first European Men's Basketball Championship in 1935. The centenary issue was also released in a particularly significant year for Latvian basketball, when the men's national team finished 5th at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Latvia's 3x3 team had also won the first Olympic gold medal in men's 3x3 basketball at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, held in 2021, and took bronze at the 2023 World Cup.

The coin's artistic concept was created by Latvian graphic artist Paulis Liepa. Rather than depicting a particular player or historic match, the design focuses on basketball as a strategic team game. Cooperation, tactical thinking and the ability to use the strengths of individual players are presented as essential elements of success. This idea is expressed particularly clearly on the reverse, where a section of the basketball court is combined with a tactical diagram resembling the coach's strategic planning.

On the obverse, a basketball hoop is shown with a gold-plated basketball resting on the rim. The suspended ball captures the decisive moment immediately before the outcome is known — whether the shot will fall and bring the team its points. The semicircular inscription “LATVIJAS BASKETBOLAM 100” identifies the centenary theme. The reverse shows part of a basketball court together with the game's tactical scheme. At the bottom are the inscriptions “5 EURO” and “20:23”. The unusual “20:23” combines the year 2023 with the appearance of a basketball scoreboard, creating a deliberate connection between the date and the sport. The coin is struck in .999 fine silver, while the edge is gold-plated and carries the inscriptions LATVIJAS BANKA and LATVIJAS REPUBLIKA separated by diamond-shaped dots.

Specifications:

• Country: Latvia
• Denomination: 5 Euro
• Year: 2023
• Theme: 100 Years of Basketball in Latvia
• Quality: Proof
• Metal: Silver Ag 999
• Weight: 22 g
• Diameter: 35 mm
• Edge: Gold-plated; inscriptions “LATVIJAS BANKA” and “LATVIJAS REPUBLIKA”, separated by diamond-shaped dots
• Graphic design: Paulis Liepa
• Mintage: 3,000 pieces
• Issue date: 31 October 2023
• Mint: Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato S.p.A., Italy
• Special features: gold-plated basketball on the obverse and gold-plated edge

Package includes: Latvia 5 Euro 2023 “100 Years of Basketball in Latvia” silver collector coin in Proof quality, supplied in its original collector packaging with certificate.