On Wednesday, December 1 branches of commercial banks and offices of Eesti Post began selling starter kits that contain all the Estonian euro coins so that residents of Estonia could familiarise themselves with the new coins.

It will also be possible to exchange kroons for euro banknotes at the central rate and without a service fee. Both the starter kits and the exchange of euro banknotes are intended for natural persons.

One starter kit costs 200 kroons and it is possible to purchase up to five starter kits at a time.

The starter kit consists of 42 euro coins worth 12.79 euro. The kit also contains a security chip confirming the authenticity of the coin set.

A total of 600,000 euro coin starter kits will be released for sale by Eesti Pank, so that each household would get one. Around 450,000 kits will be on sale from 1 December, the rest will reach sales counters in mid-December. The central bank is also ready to order more starter kits for December.

The starter kits are intended to allow residents to familiarise themselves with the new euro coins and to ensure people can start using cash as from 1 January, the €-day.

Eesti Pank has commissioned the kits from the Mint of Finland. The production of the starter kits is co-funded by the European Commission.

The coins in starter kits will become valid as from 1 January 2011, when euro becomes legal tender in Estonia.

The starter kit contains the following euro coins: seven 1-cent coins, six 2-, 5-, 10- and 20-cent coins, five 50-cent coins, four €1 coins and two €2 coins.

Further information:
Viljar Rääsk
Public Relations Office
Telephone: +372 6680 745, +372 527 5055
E-mail:

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