Lithuania. New Silver Proof Coins Features Legendary ANBO Military Aircraft.

On the centenary anniversary of the launch of the ANBO aircraft, Lithuania looks back on the story that lifted the country into the sky 100 years ago. The centenary anniversary remembers not only the airplanes, but also their creator, Antanas Gustaitis (1898 – 1941) whose dream of flight became part of his nation's history. The account of ANBO’s development is an important chapter of Lithuania’s aviation tradition, passed down from generation to generation.

The story begins with Antanas Gustaitis, a young military officer who had great dreams of soaring through the skies and so, he created a series of innovative airplanes. The aircraft he designed, called ANBO, an acronym for Antanas Nori Būti Ore – translated to ‘Antanas wants to be in the air’ would become the foundation of Lithuanian aviation. The ANBO I was a single-seat aircraft developed in Lithuania and initially proposed as a trainer aircraft for the Lithuanian Army. It was a low-wing, braced monoplane of conventional tail-wheel configuration. The fuselage structure was of fabric-covered welded steel tube, the wing had a wooden, two-spar structure and was fabric covered but the fuselage, also fabric covered, had a welded steel tube structure.

The aircraft became the pride of Lithuanian military aviation and was made famous at international exhibitions and flights. Before the Soviet occupation during the Second World War, ANBO aircraft were the main means of training Lithuania’s Air Force pilots who all made their first flights on Lithuanian aircraft. Each of them taking to the air, felt like they were fulfilling a special mission - to prove that even a small state can develop advanced technologies. ANBO aircraft were more than a technical achievement, they symbolised Lithuania's drive and aspiration to be modern and creative.

In 1934, Gustaitis became Commander-in-Chief of Lithuania’s air branch of the army and in 1937, he attained the rank of Brigadier General. Gustaitis reorganised Lithuanian military aviation by forming fighter, bomber, and reconnaissance groups, and developing a system of training for pilots and their crews, and ground crews as well. After Lithuania's initial occupation by the Soviet Union in 1940, the country’s armed forces were officially dissolved and Gustaitis became a lecturer at Vytautas Magnus University. Fearing arrest, he attempted to flee to Germany in 1941. Sadly, he was caught attempting to cross the border on the 4th March and was arrested. He was deported to Moscow where he was executed on the 16th October of that year. His final resting place remains unknown still but it is believed to be somewhere in Moscow. Following the restoration of Lithuanian independence in 1991, Gustaitis name and achievements were commemorated by the Vilnius Gediminas Technical University when the Antanas Gustaitis Aviation Institute was named after him. The first flight of the ANBO took place in 1925 and ten years later the aircraft was sold to the Lithuanian Aviation Museum in Kaunas where it is exhibited today.

The silver and cupro-nickel coins are produced by the Lithuanian Mint at their facilities in Vilnius on behalf of the Bank of Lithuania and designed by coin artist Tomas Dragūnas. The obverse side of the coin is shared on both base metal and silver strikes features a portrait of the ANBO’s designer shown in a pilot’s helmet and goggles placed to the right side and looking to the left. Just below, a stylised image of the military ANBO IV model aircraft, the inscription ANTANAS GUSTAITIS and ANBO IV is placed along the right rim shown as recessed text. The commemorative text ANBO LĖKTUVAMS – 100 METŲ (ANBO aircraft – 100 years) is positioned just to the left of the portrait of Gustaitis. The reverse side the coin features two images of ANBO models, at the top is the model I flying in an easterly direction and below, the model VIII flying west. Along the upper rim is the text ANBO I shown recessed and to the left rim is the text LIETUVA. The name of the second model airplane ANBO VIII is shown near the lower rim. The distinctive mintmark of the Lithuanian Mint separates the two inscriptions. The denomination 10 € is seen to the right of the model I airplane and the year of issue, 2025 is placed to the left.

Available from the 2nd December, the coins are issued in both cupro-nickel and sterling silver proof and colour. The silver pieces are encapsulated and presented in a Bank of Lithuania-branded case and accompanied with a certificate of authenticity. For additional information, please visit the e-webshop of the Bank of Lithuania.