Latvian central bank offers 'lucky' coin, but please don't eat it

Take note – story published 2 years ago

The Latvian Central Bank (Latvijas banka, LB) revealed its latest collector coin November 17, in its own inimitable manner.

"On Wednesday, 24 November, Latvijas Banka is issuing a silver collector coin "Coin of Luck" featuring a five-petal lilac flower. The coin is an invitation to add work to your hopes and dreams, and, once you have both, luck will definitely follow," said LB, a claim that might not stand up in a court of law.

"The message of the coin is that luck may very well be accidental. Unlike fortune, however, it requires you to grab opportunities when they present themselves. Sometimes fortune is just a fluke and simply falls into one's lap without any effort. Yet, luck is no fluke," the central bank added, dipping its toes into the shallow waters of philosophical conjecture concerning fate, luck and fortune perhaps more fully and convincingly explored by the great Greek tragedians and leading Elizabethan dramatists.

"A lilac flower with five petals is one of the symbols of luck. As the local tradition has it, when finding a five-petal flower, one should make a wish and eat the flower or dry it and keep it at hand," LB continued.

"Unlike a real five-petal lilac flower, the lucky lilac coin of Latvijas Banka should not be eaten. Instead, it should be given as a gift or kept for oneself so that its owner always holds the energy of luck. The capsule should only be gently held in one's fingertips every now and then to bring luck for yourself, your loved ones and all Latvia. The lucky lilac coin of Latvijas Banka presents an opportunity not to wait until spring, better times or befalling of good fortune, but take the matter of finding luck in our own hands."

The coins have a face value of 5 euros but sell for 53 euros per bloom, suggesting someone is indeed getting quite lucky. Starting from 12.00 (noon) on 24 November, the new coin will be on sale online via e-monetas.lv, Latvijas Banka's website for purchases of collector coins and other numismatic products.

 

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