Belarus issued this coin in 1997 as part of an early run of commemorative silver issues the National Bank used to establish the country's numismatic program following independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Ice hockey holds particular cultural weight in Belarus — the national team had only recently begun competing under its own flag at the IIHF World Championship, debuting independently in 1993 after previously competing as part of the Soviet and then CIS squads.
Belarus issued this coin in 1997 as part of an early run of commemorative silver issues the National Bank used to establish the country's numismatic program following independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Ice hockey holds particular cultural weight in Belarus — the national team had only recently begun competing under its own flag at the IIHF World Championship, debuting independently in 1993 after previously competing as part of the Soviet and then CIS squads.