Lithuania and the Euro
Lithuania is an EU member state, and as such also a member of the Economic and Monetary Union. Its currency, the litas, has been pegged to the euro at 3.4528 litas to 1 euro since 2002, and it has been part of ERM II since 28 June 2004, shortly after the country joined the EU on 1 May 2004. In February 2013, the government of Lithuania approved a plan for euro adoption in 2015.
Euro coins issued by Lithuania bear the symbol of the Lithuanian national emblem Vytis, as was the wish of the majority of the Lithuanian population. This wish was discovered through a public opinion survey made by the Bank of Lithuania, which, having estimated the results of the survey, formulated the terms and conditions of the tender for the design of plaster models for the national side of euro coins.
On 24 February 2005 the Board of the Bank of Lithuania approved three plaster models by this author to be used for the national side of euro coins: 1 and 2 euro coins, 10, 20 and 50 euro cent coins, and 1, 2 and 5 euro cent coins. The Vytis will be surrounded by 12 stars: against the background of vertical lines on 1 and 2 euro coins, against horizontal lines on 10, 20 and 50 euro c ent coins; and on a plain surface on 1, 2 and 5 euro cent coins. These euro and cent coins that will circulate in the entire euro area will be minted by the State Company Lithuanian Mint operating in Vilnius.
Coins were designed by the sculptor Antanas Žukauskas. Edge-lettering of the €2 coin: LAISVĖ * VIENYBĖ * GEROVĖ * (Freedom * Unity * Well-Being *)
