2014-01-28
The Bank of Lithuania issued into circulation a 50 litas silver collectors (commemorative) coin dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the birth of Kristijonas Donelaitis. The new coin was presented, with readings from K. Donelaitis’ work The Seasons (Metai), at the Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore in Vilnius.
“The collector coins issued by the Bank of Lithuania commemorate our country’s famous, distinguished people. Kristijonas Donelaitis — pioneer of Lithuanian literature — without doubt is one such person, who, with his hexameter verses, was ahead of his time and made a significant contribution to not only Lithuanian, but also world literature”, says Marius Jurgilas, Member of the Board of the Bank of Lithuania.
According to Prof Dr Dalia Dilytė, who wrote the text for the booklet accompanying the coin, K. Donelaitis’ epos The Seasons is marked with the feature of eternal relevance, characteristic of classical literature. “Let us hope that the words of Donelaitis will be heeded, and God willing that all those who love and will love Lithuania, those who, in speaking Lithuanian perform their feudal tasks, will be healthy <...> that they will not die out and disappear, that they will for eternity stand in the heavenly circle” reads the booklet.
The reverse of the coin commemorating K. Donelaitis’ 300th birth anniversary depicts images by the artist Tadas Žebrauskas — the activities and work in the life of Lithuanian peasants, who, as does the sun in the middle, rotate in an eternal circle. The plaster model of the coin was created by the artist Giedrius Paulauskis. The edge of the coin bears the inscription “The climbing sun again was wakening the world.”
K. Donelaitis was born on 1 January 1714 in Lasdinehlen (Lazdynėliai), a now-gone village in Lithuania Minor, not far from Gumbinnen (Gumbinė). In 1736–1740 he studied theology at the University of Königsberg, from 1740–1743 he worked as cantor, organist and school director in Stallupönen, and from 1743 until his death he was a pastor in Tollmingkehmen. He died there on 18 February 1780. Besides the poem The Seasons, K. Donelaitis also wrote six fables. The 300th anniversary of the birth of K. Donelaitis is included in the UNESCO list of anniversaries.
The coins were minted by UAB Lietuvos monetų kalykla (Lithuanian Mint). Mintage — 3,000 pieces.
The coins, from their date of issue, can be purchased at the cash offices of the Bank of Lithuania in Vilnius (Totorių g. 2/8 and Žirmūnų g. 151) and Kaunas (Maironio g. 25). The price of the coin (including VAT) in a display box is LTL 150; without a display box — LTL 130.
The coin dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the birth of K. Donelaitis is the eighty-third collectors (commemorative) coin issued by the Bank of Lithuania.