50 Santimu

Latvia's first coinage series, introduced following independence from the Russian Empire, was struck at the Latvian State Mint in Rīga — a facility established almost from scratch in a country that had essentially no modern minting infrastructure. The 50 Santimu in nickel was part of that inaugural effort, with the new currency, the lats and its subdivisions, anchored to the gold standard partly to signal credibility to foreign creditors and trading partners skeptical of the fledgling state's finances.

Nickel coinage from this series is frequently found with uneven surfaces from the Rīga mint's early production runs.