2015-02-04
First silver collector euro coin immortalises the prominent personality of Mikołaj Radziwiłł “the Black”
The 500th birth anniversary of one of the most prominent noblemen of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (GDL), Mikołaj Radziwiłł “the Black”, is commemorated by the Bank of Lithuania with the issue of a 20 euro collector coin. It was presented to the public at the Vilnius Radziwiłł Museum.
“This is the first silver euro coin issued by the Bank of Lithuania. We are continuing the tradition of immortalising in Lithuanian coins famous people, distinguished in our nation. The themes of the new coins that we plan to issue will be varied. The Bank of Lithuania will aim to enliven coin collecting, thus piquing the interest of young people as well,” said Marius Jurgilas, Member of the Board of the Bank of Lithuania.
Marius Jurgilas, Member of the Board of the Bank of Lithuania
Mikołaj Radziwiłł “the Black”, Duke of Olyka and Nesvizh, Marszałek of the GDL, Voivode of Vilnius and Chancellor of the GDL, born on 4 February 1515, was a political figure of extraordinary talent and exceptional brightness in the 16th c. This individual’s merits to our land are recounted by Prof. Raimonda Ragauskiene in the leaflet issued together with the coin.
Prof. Raimonda Ragauskiene
“In creating the portrait of Mikołaj Radziwiłł ‘the Black’ for this coin, I wanted to say that we only know about the past and its great heroes from fragments of history, which, as patches of our knowledge, cover the full view of previous lives,” said Rytis Belevičius, artist of the collector coin.
Rytis Belevičius, artist of the collector coin
The reverse of the coin employs artistic means to depict a portrait of Mikołaj Radziwiłł “the Black”; next to is the coat-of-arms of the Radziwiłł family and, in a semicircle, are the words: MIKOŁAJ RADZIWIŁŁ THE BLACK, 500.
In the centre of the obverse of the coin — a stylised Vytis in a shield; the coin is decorated with a braid of decorative elements in a circle.
The edge of the coin bears the inscription HERE IS THE FAMILY THAT OUR HOMELAND, WHEN FALTERING, LEANED UPON.These are words on the Radziwiłł family from the piece “Vestuvinės idilijos šviesiausiajam kunigaikščiui” (Wedding Idylls for the Greatest Duke), by the 17th c. Lithuanian poet Maciej Kazimierz Sarbiewski.
The 20 euro coin is minted from 925 fineness silver, quality — proof, diameter 38.61 mm, weight 28.28 g, mintage 3,000 pcs. It was minted by UAB Lithuanian Mint.
The price of the coin with a display box (including VAT) is EUR 62 (LTL 214.07), without a display box — EUR 58.00 (LTL 200.26). They are sold at the Bank of Lithuania’s cash offices in Vilnius and Kaunas.
Each country, the currency of which is the euro, have the right to mint collector euro coins, selecting the denomination, metal and other features at its discretion. These coins must significantly differ from circulation coins in at least two of the following three features: colour, diameter or weight. Such coins are legal tender only in the country that issues them, differently than circulation and commemorative coins, which are legal tender throughout the euro area.
The first collector euro coin was issued by the Bank of Lithuania on 29 January 2015. It was a 50 euro gold coin dedicated to coinage in the GDL.
From 1993 until 2014 the Bank of Lithuanian issued 88 collector (commemorative) coins and 18 collector (commemorative) circulation coins.