Estonia has a long and rich history. It was first inhabited by Baltic tribes. The country was then Christianized and colonized by crusaders before falling under Russian rule in the 18th century. After the Russian revolution and the collapse of the Russian Empire, Estonia declared its independence on February 24, 1918. The first Constitution of Estonia was adopted in 1920.

Map of Baltic States | Source: AS

In 1939 Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia signed a non-aggression pact that included secret protocols dividing Eastern Europe into German and Soviet spheres of influence. In 1940, Soviet forces invaded Estonia and later they occupied all three Baltic states: Latvia; Lithuania and Estonia. Many Estonians were deported to Siberia or were forced to move to Russia or other parts of the Soviet Union. On August 20, 1991, Estonia’s parliament declared its independence from the Soviet Union.

Red Army Entering Estonia | 1939 | Source: Wikipedia

Banknotes of Estonia

The national currency of Estonia was the Kroon. It was used before it was occupied by the Soviet Union and after the fall of the Soviet Union. During its Soviet era the Soviet Ruble was used throughout the country. The post-Soviet Union Kroon was reintroduced in 1992 ranged in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 500 Kroon banknotes. They were bright and colorful, featured notable Estonian figures on the obverse side. While on the reverse side they featured national monuments.

20 Krooni | 1932 | Source: Banknote World Educational

Estonia 2 Krooni, 1992. This banknote is part of the first series of Estonian notes issued by the Bank of Estonia after the dissolution of the USSR. The banknote is colored in bluish-gray. Its obverse side features the social scientist Karl Ernst von Baer. Its reverse side shows the Tarlu University building.

2 Krooni | 1992 | Source: Banknote World

Another example of the banknotes from this series is the 10 Krooni, 2006. The red banknote features folklorist and theologian Jakob Hurt. It also displays the bank logo and a stylized cornflower. The reverse depicts a Tamme-Lauri oak tree at Urvaste in Vorumaa. This series of banknotes was short lived because in 2011 the Euro became the official currency of the nation. Today it only remains a relic for nostalgic purposes.

10 Krooni |2006 | Source: Banknote World

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estonian_kroon

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estonia

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *