Catalog
5 Markkaa
| Issuer | Republic of Finland |
|---|---|
| Year | 1946-1952 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Reverse description | The large numeral '5' dominates the central field, enclosed within an open wreath of two pine branches tied at the base with a ribbon bow and bearing pine cones. The legend 'SUOMEN TASAVALTA' (Republic of Finland) arcs along the upper periphery, while 'MARKKAA' is inscribed along the lower periphery, flanked by small floral ornaments. A dentilated border encircles the entire reverse design. |
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| Edge | Reeded |
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| Additional information |
Finland's postwar brass coinage was a direct consequence of wartime metal requisitioning and the punishing reparations imposed by the 1944 Moscow Armistice, which obligated Finland to deliver substantial industrial output to the Soviet Union. Copper and nickel were effectively unavailable for domestic coin production, pushing the mint toward brass as a practical substitute. The 1946 start date is not coincidental — it marks the first full production year after the armistice terms were locked in.
The series ran through 1952, the year Helsinki hosted the Olympic Games, after which currency reforms and inflation rendered the 5 markka denomination essentially worthless in circulation.