Finland 2 Euro 2015 Akseli Gallen-Kallela

In 2015 it is 150 years since the Finnish Jugendstill painter Akseli Gallen-Kallela (in Swedish Axel Waldemar Gallén) was born. To commemorate this Finland has issued this special 2 Euro coin. On the coin is Tuonela's Swan. The Swan of Tuonela is a piece of music written by Jean Sibelius who was a contemporary of Gallen-Kallela. Akseli Gallen-Kallela created a famous painting called "the Mother of Kemminkäinen". This painting shows Tuenela, the island of the Dead. In the background, Tuonela's Swan is seen in the black water. This swan is also seen on the 2 Euro coin, the water under the swan is symbolic of the falling spirit. At the bottom of the coin is an artistÆs palette. To the left and right of this palette the name Akseli Gallen-Kallela is shown. In the artistÆs palette are the years 1865 and 2015. In the outer ring of the coin are the 12 EU stars. The quality of the coin is UNC and the issue of this coin in this quality is only 489,000 copies.