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The Global Insight

What was the old currency of Finland?

Author

Christopher Davis

Updated on April 11, 2026

Finnish markka
The Finnish markka (Finnish: Suomen markka; Swedish: finsk mark; sign: Mk; ISO code: FIM, typically known outside Finland as the Finnish mark) was the currency of Finland from 1860 until 28 February 2002, when it ceased to be legal tender.

What is the monetary unit of Finland?

Euro
Finland/Currencies
Finland joined the Third Phase of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) in May 1998 and adopted the common currency, the euro, in 1999. Euro coins and notes were introduced in the beginning of 2002 in 12 Member States of the European Union.

When did Finland change to euro?

1 January 2002
The euro banknotes and coins were introduced in Finland on 1 January 2002, after a transitional period of three years when the euro was the official currency but only existed as ‘book money’. The dual circulation period – when both the Finnish markka and the euro had legal tender status – ended on 28 February 2002.

What is a markka coin?

The design of this coin is the result of an open competition, a hybrid of two competing designs. Diameter is 24 mm and the alloy is 35% silver, 57% copper, 8% zinc for coins dated 1964 to 1968. After 1968 copper-nickel is used and no silver is present.

Is Finland a rich country?

Finland is the third most prosperous country in the world. Finnish banks are the soundest in the world. World Economic Forum, The Global Competitiveness Report 2018: Soundness of banks. Finland’s pension system is the third best in the world.

What currency does Poland use?

Polish złoty
Poland/Currencies

Is Finland a good place to live?

Finland is regarded as one of the safest countries in the world. In 2017 the World Economic Forum report rated living in Finland as the number one safest place to be globally.

What is the unit of money in Finland?

Finnish monetary unit – monetary unit in Finland. monetary unit – a unit of money. Finnish mark, markka – formerly the basic unit of money in Finland.

How did the Finnish markka currency get its name?

Although the word “markka” predates the currency by several centuries, the currency was established before being named “markka”. A competition was held for its name, and some of the other entries included “sataikko” (meaning “having a hundred parts”), “omena” (apple) and “suomo” (from “Suomi”, the Finnish name for Finland).

When did Finland become a fraction of the Euro?

The markka was added into the ERM system in 1996 and then became a fraction of the euro in 1999, with physical euro money arriving later in 2002. It has been speculated that if Finland had not joined the euro, market fluctuations such as the dot-com bubble would have reflected as wild fluctuations in the price of the markka.

Where does the name Penni and markka come from?

Both “markka” and “penni” are similar to words used in Germany for that country’s former currency, based on the same etymological roots as the German Mark and pfennig . Although the word “markka” predates the currency by several centuries, the currency was established before being named “markka”.