20 Euro of Finland 2018 Ag Proof - Zacharias Topelius (numbered)

Zacharias Topelius (14 January 1818-12 March 1898) is still remembered today as a master storyteller and as a lyricist of best-loved Christmas carols. Topelius was not only a distinguished novelist and poet, but also a journalist, historian and rector of the University of Helsinki.

Topelius wrote insightful interpretations of social phenomena and structures, as seen for example in Välskärin kertomuksia (Tales of a Barber-Surgeon), one of his best-known novels. The reverse of the collector coin features an image of Topelius and the sparrows in his tales. The obverse of the coin is a reference to Topelius’s Koivu ja tähti (The Birch and the Star) fairytale.

Total mintage of the EUR 20 commemorative coin is 4000 pieces of which 100 pieces are numbered. The numbered coins are packaged in a protective clear capsule in a glass case that displays the beautiful commemorative coin brilliantly. A certificate of authenticity containing the commemorative coin’s technical specifications is also included in the package. The number of the commemorative coin is stamped on the coin's reverse.