Gold coin 5 euro Latvia 2023 – Golden horses

The theme of golden horses is widely represented both in the mythology of Latvia and other nations. In Latvian folklore – mythological poems – the golden horse is an attribute of the deities of the sun and sky. It is part of Indo-European, including Latvian, mythology associated with seasonal themes and the course of the day.
In ancient times, people distinguished between two seasons – the cold season with the invisible, dead sun of winter and the warm season with the awakened warm sun. In folk tales, the sun is personified by a princess who must be freed from winter stagnation. This is done by the spring deity – in Latvian folklore Usins, whose name comes from the verb “to rise” – or the third son of the father, a character in a folk tale. There are only three ways to reach the sun on the heavenly mountain: by a copper horse, which embodies the forces of the underworld and waters; by a silver horse, which combines the forces of the earth and its surface; by a golden horse, which entails the divine power or the power granted to the hero by deities.
The gold coin is dedicated to the theme of the golden horse. The graphic design of the coin was developed by Ivars Heinrichsons. According to the artist, the content of the coin is inspired by a popular Latvian folk song and the golden Latvian Sea, as well as the ancient Greek myth of horses pulling the chariot of Poseidon, the god of the sea. Both inspirations are united by the supernatural manifestation of radiance in the form of horses. Associatively and visually, gold is associated with the sun, the “golden saddle” with its radiance in the sea.
Among Latvians and other closely related peoples, the color of gold is associated with divinity and heavenly deities, primarily with the Sun as a deity.
Obverse: two horses with raised right legs and crowns on their heads.
Reverse: carriage wheel in the center of the coin.

Denomination: 5 euro
Metal: gold 999.9
Weight: 1.24 g
Diameter: 13.92mm
Mintage: 2500
Packing: capsule, box
A certificate of authenticity is included.