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CC 489 2023
Coincard
BU
Coincard
Estonia · The barn swallow, Estonia's national bird
Mintage12,000
Issue price€12.00
Issue date12 May 2023
PackagingCoincard
Edge letteringEESTI × 2, alternating upright/inverted, separated by dots
Market price€18.75
Issue occasion
The commemorative coin is dedicated to Estonia’s national bird, the barn swallow. The design features its silhouette, surrounded by the semicircular inscription “HIRUNDO RUSTICA”, the Latin name for the barn swallow. “EESTI” and the year of issue “2023” appear at the bottom.
The design
The silhouette of a barn swallow is depicted, with the inscription “HIRUNDO RUSTICA” (Latin for barn swallow) running in a semicircle around it in the upper right. The issuing country “EESTI” and, beneath it, the year of issue “2023” can be read at the bottom.
The outer ring of the coin features the twelve stars of the European flag.
The outer ring of the coin features the twelve stars of the European flag.
Background on the topic
The barn swallow was designated Estonia’s national bird in 1962. The choice thus fell during the period when Estonia was part of the Soviet Union. At the time, indigenous symbols of nature and culture offered a way of expressing Estonian independence and national identity without using overtly political signs. In Estonian, the bird is called “suitsupääsuke”, literally meaning “barn swallow”.
The species is closely tied to habitats shaped by humans. It prefers to build its open mud nests in stables, barns and other buildings. As a result, it was almost an everyday presence, particularly in traditional rural life. As a migratory bird, it spends only the warm season in Estonia and winters in Africa. Its return in spring is therefore associated with the change of seasons, returning home and the beginning of the rural working year. It can be recognised, among other things, by its deeply forked tail, long wings and agile pursuit of flying insects.
Swallows also appear in Estonian songs, stories and sayings. They are often portrayed as familiar inhabitants of the home and as messengers of spring. This cultural closeness distinguishes the barn swallow from many other wild bird species. At the same time, its regular migration across countries and continents represents the cross-border interconnections of nature.
The selection for a circulation coin drew on a national symbol that had already been established for decades. Unlike an anniversary, the reason for the issue does not commemorate a single historical date. Instead, the focus is on a generally familiar symbol of Estonian nature and everyday culture. The barn swallow is also suitable for this purpose because of its distinctive body shape, recognisable from its silhouette alone.
The species is closely tied to habitats shaped by humans. It prefers to build its open mud nests in stables, barns and other buildings. As a result, it was almost an everyday presence, particularly in traditional rural life. As a migratory bird, it spends only the warm season in Estonia and winters in Africa. Its return in spring is therefore associated with the change of seasons, returning home and the beginning of the rural working year. It can be recognised, among other things, by its deeply forked tail, long wings and agile pursuit of flying insects.
Swallows also appear in Estonian songs, stories and sayings. They are often portrayed as familiar inhabitants of the home and as messengers of spring. This cultural closeness distinguishes the barn swallow from many other wild bird species. At the same time, its regular migration across countries and continents represents the cross-border interconnections of nature.
The selection for a circulation coin drew on a national symbol that had already been established for decades. Unlike an anniversary, the reason for the issue does not commemorate a single historical date. Instead, the focus is on a generally familiar symbol of Estonian nature and everyday culture. The barn swallow is also suitable for this purpose because of its distinctive body shape, recognisable from its silhouette alone.