How to Identify the 1 Markka
A collector's guide to recognizing Finland's bimetallic one-markka coin by its lion, numeral, inscriptions, and two-tone build.
Read the full 1 Markka encyclopedia entry →
Start with the overall construction. This 1 markka is a round bimetallic coin: a copper-nickel outer ring surrounding a center of contrasting color. If your coin is a single, uniform metal, it is an earlier markka type rather than this 1993–2001 bimetallic issue. The two-tone ring-and-center layout is the quickest first filter.
Read the two faces. One side has a large numeral 1 with the word MARKKA, the date (for example 1995), and small cross and rosette ornaments spaced around the field. The other side carries the Finnish state arms: a crowned lion rampant holding an upraised sword, ringed by small roses, with the country name split as SUOMI (Finnish) and FINLAND (Swedish). Seeing both SUOMI and FINLAND confirms the country and rules out look-alike bimetallic coins from other nations.
Check size and weight against a known European base-metal coin. This markka is a small denomination piece, so it should feel light and be modest in diameter; a coin that is noticeably larger or heavier is a different denomination or country. Finnish markka coins carry a small mint mark or mint master initial in the design; note it if present, but the lion and dual-language legend are the primary diagnostics.
Beware of confusion with other 1990s bimetallic coins, which share the ring-and-center look. The lion-with-sword arms and the SUOMI FINLAND legend are distinctive to Finland. Authentication concerns are minimal for this common circulation type, since it is rarely counterfeited; focus instead on confirming the date, checking for the two-tone metals, and assessing wear rather than worrying about fakes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I tell this apart from the older single-metal 1 markka?
The 1993–2001 coin is bimetallic with a copper-nickel ring around a contrasting center. Earlier markka coins are a single uniform metal, so a two-tone appearance points to this later type.
What inscriptions confirm it is Finnish?
The lion side reads SUOMI and FINLAND, the country's name in Finnish and Swedish. Those two words together, with the crowned lion holding a sword, identify it as Finland.
Where is the date on the coin?
The date appears on the numeral side alongside the large 1 and the word MARKKA. On this example it reads 1995.
Could this be confused with a euro coin?
Bimetallic 1 and 2 euro coins share the two-tone look, but they carry euro denominations and EU designs, not the numeral MARKKA and the SUOMI FINLAND lion arms shown here.