Today, the Ambassador of Finland to the Netherlands, Ilkka-Pekka Similä, performed the ceremonial first strike of the new €2 commemorative coin celebrating the 100th anniversary of Yle Broadcasting Company. This marks the official launch of a special €2 commemorative coin issued by Helsinki Mint and commissioned by the Finnish Ministry of Finance.
The commemorative coin celebrates 100 years of Finnish public broadcasting, an institution that has played a central role in Finnish society since 1926. The coin will be issued in several variations: 2 Euro Brilliant Uncirculated Quality in two language coincards, Proof Quality in booklet packaging and in 100 Euro Gold.
Yle Broadcasting Company
Yle was founded in 1926 under the name Suomen Yleisradio. Its first broadcasts were transmitted from a small studio in central Helsinki. At first, broadcasts reached only the Helsinki area. By 1928, the signal covered the entire country. By the early 1930s, around 100,000 households were already listening to Yle radio programmes, marking rapid national growth.
Television broadcasting began in 1957 with experimental transmissions under the name Suomen Televisio, which later became Yle TV1. Today, Yle is a national media company providing three television channels, 13 radio channels and services, and 25 regional radio stations and services.
Design
The commemorative coin was designed by Petri Neuvonen. The design highlights the role of public service broadcasting in modern society. It reflects the idea that people increasingly live in separate information environments, or “bubbles,” which can limit understanding of the world. Public broadcasting helps connect these perspectives by providing shared information, culture, and journalism.
