Latvia’s Silver ‘Cabbage’ Coin
When tradition, art, and whimsy combine, unexpected winners emerge, and Latvia’s silver ‘Cabbage’ coin is living proof. Designed by sculptor and artist Mārtiņš Rozenfelds, the 2024 ‘Cabbage’ collector coin has been voted Latvia’s Coin of the Year 2024 following a public vote organized by Latvijas Banka and Delfi.lv, held between 24 March and 6 April 2025. With nearly 27,000 votes cast, the silver coin secured nearly 7,000 of them, cementing its status as the nation’s favorite among that year’s striking releases.
Launched on 16 December 2024, Rozenfeld’s ‘Cabbage’ design stood out not just for its visual appeal but also for its cultural resonance. Rendered in .999 fine silver and crafted into a proof finish by the Lithuanian Mint (UAB Lietuvos monetų kalykla), the coin weighs 23 g, measures 30 mm across its longest dimension, and carries a face value of 5 Euro. Its irregular shape evokes a bird’s-eye view of a cabbage head on one side, with textured layers and the inscriptions “LATVIJA” and “5 EURO” elegantly circled across the obverse. The reverse mirrors the inner cabbage core and features the year “2024” at its center.
obverse and reverse design of Latvia’s silver cabbage coin
Why cabbage? In Latvia, this humble vegetable speaks volumes. Introduced to the region between the 11th and 13th centuries, cabbage quickly became central to Latvian cooking and cultural symbolism. Beyond its culinary significance, cabbage conveys health, prosperity, and fertility according to commonly held beliefs rooted in folklore and tradition. In ancient Rome and Greece, cabbage was prized for its healing properties, and the Latin term caput (head) gave cabbage its name, hinting at its storied past. Folk practices reinforced its symbolism: on Anna’s Day (which fell on the 26th of July in 2025), Latvians exchange cabbage leaves as a good‑luck gesture for wealth, and New Year’s Eve dinners often feature sauerkraut to cleanse away last year’s sour moments.
The voting process itself was a significant public event, inviting residents to choose their favorite among five newly minted 2024 collector coins: Across the Times, Childhood Joy, Energy Coin, Building the Unbuilt, and Cabbage.
The success of the Cabbage coin reflects both the depth of Latvian traditions and the modern artistry that brings them to life. As Mārtiņš Rozenfeld’s design found favor, it reaffirmed the power of numismatics to capture cultural soul in miniature—and it turns out that, in Latvia, a cabbage can be a work of art.
