Hi there,
I got from Latvia 2 new 1 lat commemoratives with a funny design.
The Pigelet
Face value: 1 lats.
Weight: 20.00 g, diameter: 34.00 mm.
Metal: silver of .925 fineness, quality: proof.
Struck in 2009 by Rahapaja Oy (Finland).
The coin was designed using the drawing by Emilija Adumane and modelled by Ligita Franckevica.
Reverse
The central motif is a drawing by Emīlija Adumāne, a six-year old girl from Riga. Her drawing of the 1 lats ("lac" in her spelling) coin features a pig, the symbol of welfare, generosity and cheer.
The perception of a child has the purity of fresh spring that has not been clouded by any adult impressions. In 2008, the Bank of Latvia invited children from all over Latvia to the contest of drawings entitled "My Dream Coin". Over four thousand young coin designers took part. Emilija Adumane, a six-year old girl from Riga, managed to win the tough competition with her drawing of the 1 lats ("lac" in her spelling) coin featuring a pig, the symbol of welfare, generosity and cheer, which is among Latvians' favourite archetypes.
In Latvian folklore, the pig has been a regular companion of humans since time immemorial, a curious embodiment of peacefulness and well-being. Of the swine characters in books, movies and animation, the three little pigs are perhaps the most popular; yet Piglet, Winnie-the-Pooh's closest companion, the wise Babe from the eponymous Australian film, and the protagonist from Arnolds Burovs' animation film Sisidra or Pig is Pig's Friend are also much loved. Far from complete, this gallery of pink-coloured fictional characters all have valuable life lessons for kids.