Finnish coins have a letter on them, but it is the initial of the Mint Master's (nowadays the mint's Chief Executive) surname and does not refer to the mint itself.

It has been reported that the current MM will be retiring in March of 2008, and the search for a new CEO is hoped to be completed before the turn of the year. Perhaps this is so the mint will know what initial to put on coins for 2008?

A part of me is curious, however, to see if the new practice of adding "FI" and/or the Mint's logo on foreign coins will replace the tradition of using the Mint Master's (which as mentioned before is now a CEO) initial on domestic coins. I doubt it will but one never knows.

Maybe so, but I doubt it ... The "M" mark (for Raimo Makkonen) was used until 2006; as far as I know this year's coins all have the mint logo instead. Additionally, the Finnish coins dated 2007 have the country identifier "FI" that you mentioned (except those coins where the country name appears). So I think that the only initials we will see on Finnish coins dated 2007 and later are those of the designers.

Christian

Of course! I'm still stuck in the world pre-2007.


I have seen so few of this year's 2007 in circulation so far, that I have not yet become accustomed to the new practice. Thanks for correcting me!



Disregard the whole thread!

That's what you get for not collecting all the latest collector coins any more.

Christian

Not a new initial but a new mintmaster aka President and CEO: Maarit Aarni-Sirviö. http://www.mint.fi/en/press-releases/1896/ She will have the job as from 1 April ...

Christian