2008-05-23
On 23 May 2008, the Bank of Lithuania issued into circulation the 50 litas commemorative coin dedicated to the Kaunas Castle. The new coin was presented to the public on the same day at the said castle.
The participants of the event were met by a theatrical guard of the castle with medieval ammunition. At the start of the presentation a shot of an ancient cannon reverberated near the castle.
“This summer it will be fifteen years since the Bank of Lithuania started to issue commemorative coins. During this period, fifty four commemorative coins of various denominations were presented to the collectors”, noted Mr. Reinoldijus Sarkinas, Chairman of the Board of the Bank of Lithuania, during the presentation.
“The 50 litas silver coin issued today depicts the Kaunas Castle, which was an important point of defence of our state against enemies in the 14th century. The graphic design of the coin was created by the artist Giedrius Paulauskis. It is the seventh coin from the series “Historical and Architectural Monuments of Lithuania”, said Mr. Reinoldijus Sarkinas.
He pointed out that one side (obverse) of the coin dedicated to the Kaunas Castle bears a stylised medieval Vytis. According to heraldry experts, it is one of the most valuable national emblems created by the goldsmiths of those times that survived perfectly in the seals used by the Great Duke of Lithuania Vytautas when sending letters from Kaunas.
UAB “Lietuvos monetu kalykla” (Lithuanian Mint) minted 10 thousand pieces of commemorative coins dedicated to the Kaunas Castle.