After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian rule, Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated into the USSR in 1940, it regained its freedom in 1991, with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Since the last Russian troops left in 1994, Estonia has been free to promote economic and political ties with Western Europe. It will accede to the EU in May 2004 and to NATO in the summer of 2004. Our featured coin is a silver proof crown issued to commemorate the XXV Olympics in