Finland is the European country whose former markka currency was replaced by the euro. Helsinki is Finland’s capital, and the country’s currency history explains why both FIM and EUR appear in the clue.
The Finnish markka was introduced in 1860 and served as Finland’s currency for more than 140 years. Its international currency code was FIM, and one markka was divided into 100 penni. Finland adopted the euro for accounting and electronic payments in 1999, then introduced euro banknotes and coins in 2002. The markka and euro circulated together during a short changeover period, ending on 28 February 2002.
Today, Finland uses the euro exclusively as legal tender; markka notes and coins are obsolete and mainly collectible. The word “markka” can also be confusing because it resembles the former German mark, but the Finnish currency was a separate national currency. Finland’s euro coins are recognizable by national designs that include a heraldic lion, a whooper swan, and the Finnish landscape.