Catalog
10 Markkaa
| Issuer | Finland |
|---|---|
| Year | 1928-1939 |
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| Value | 10 Markkaa |
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| Obverse description | Central field bears the Finnish state coat of arms: a crowned lion rampant to the left, its raised right forepaw replaced by an armoured hand brandishing a straight sword, while the hindpaws trample upon a curved sabre. The shield is framed by a wreath of spruce branches tied at the base. The four-digit date is divided by the lower portion of the wreath, with the mint engraver's initial 'S' appearing between the two halves of the year. A fine beaded border encircles the entire design. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The numeral '10' is prominently displayed at centre within an open wreath of two symmetrical spruce branches, tied together at the base with a ribbon bow. The legend 'SUOMEN TASAVALTA' curves along the upper periphery in bold raised letters, while 'MARKKAA' is inscribed along the lower periphery, together framing the denomination. Two small rosette ornaments flank the lower legend at either side. A continuous beaded border runs along the rim. |
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| Additional information |
Finland adopted aluminium bronze for this series partly as a cost-saving measure during a period of fiscal conservatism following the economic dislocations of the late 1920s, but the alloy also offered a practical advantage: it was significantly harder-wearing than the cupronickel alternatives then circulating elsewhere in Scandinavia. The 1928 introduction coincided with Finland's broader currency stabilization efforts under the Finnish markka's gold-peg regime, which held through most of the series' run before collapsing under pressure in 1931.
Production continued into 1939, the final year of issue — the same year the Soviet Union issued its ultimatum that triggered the Winter War.