Watch New Coin Shaped Like Honeycomb Come To Life

A honeycomb-shaped €5 coin designed by Arthur Analts celebrates Latvia’s commitment to going green and the country’s abundance of natural resources.

Latvia has a new limited-edition €5 coin, and it takes its design from a tasty piece of honeycomb. London-based Latvian designer Arthur Analts created the coin, which won the annual design competition held by Latvijas Banka (The Bank of Latvia). It has since been minted by the Lithuanian Mint and issued as a collector’s item.
The honeycomb structure is intended to highlight Latvia’s commitment to preserving natural resources; it is the greenest of the Baltic countries and, according to the 2018 Environmental Performance Index, the 37th greenest country in the world. Analts inspiration for the coin came from a quote attributed to Albert Einstein: “If the bee disappeared off the face of the Earth, man would only have four years left to live.”

Called the Honey Coin, the item is hexagonal in shape and features curved edges. The cells that decorate its interior are similarly hexagonal, modelled after the adjoining wax cells made by bees to store larvae, honey and pollen. Some of the cells within the coin are empty, while others are solid as if brimming with golden honey.

To further connect his creation with its country of origin, Analts flattened some of the cells on one side of the coin to create an abstract outline of Latvia. Plus, the designer made sure that each cell across both sides of the coin were slightly different from one another, thus replicating a real-life honeycomb and also reflecting the uniqueness of Latvia itself.

Although this is the world’s first honeycomb-shaped piece of currency, collectors coins have been outside-the-box items for quite some time. The Marijuana Coin from Benin, for example, features a large green leaf one side, while the Isle of Man’s Egyptian Pyramid Coin is shaped like – you guessed it – a pyramid. There is even a motorcycle coin out of Somalia, perfect for those with a need for speed.

landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.