2 Euro Finland 2026 - 100 years of broadcasting

Finland celebrates the centenary of Yle, the Finnish national public broadcasting company, founded in 1926. To mark the occasion, the Helsinki Mint is issuing a commemorative 2 euro coin in Belle Epreuve quality, dedicated to the history and essential role of this public medium in Finnish society.

In its early days, Yle, then known as Suomen Yleisradio, was a modest radio studio in central Helsinki. The first broadcasts were made at a time when radio was revolutionizing access to information and culture. As early as 1928, Yle's programs began to be accessible to the whole country, marking an important step in the construction of a national media space.

Over the decades, Yle has established itself as a central player in Finnish public life. By the 1930s, its radio broadcasts were reaching almost 100,000 households. Then, with the arrival of television, the company continued its development: the first attempts at television broadcasting were launched in 1957 with Suomen Televisio, which later became Yle TV1.

Today, Yle is a major player in the Finnish audiovisual landscape. Its television channels, national and regional radio services and digital content contribute to information, education and social ties throughout the country. This commemorative coin pays tribute to a century of public service, media innovation and cultural transmission.

The design for this 2 euro coin was created by Petri Neuvonen, also known for his work on the 20 euro coin dedicated to Erik Allardt. His creation offers a contemporary reading of the role of public media. It evokes the information bubbles in which individuals can sometimes shut themselves off, limiting their understanding of the world and reinforcing isolated viewpoints.

Through this composition, public service broadcasting is presented as a means of overcoming these invisible boundaries. Yle appears as a link between citizens, regions and communities, promoting the sharing of knowledge, the dissemination of reliable information and access to common cultural content.

This 2 euro Finland 2026 commemorative coin, dedicated to 100 years of Yle Broadcasting, is aimed at collectors of European coins, fans of Finnish coins and those interested in the great institutions that have marked modern European history. It celebrates the evolution of the media, freedom of information and the unifying mission of public service broadcasting.