COLLECTOR COINS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA: Letters of the Armenian Alphabet

COLLECTOR COINS 2014

Letters of the Armenian Alphabet

Nominal value: 5000 dram

Metal and alloy: gold 999,90
Weight: 3,89 g
Diameter: 20,0 mm
Quality: proof / brilliant uncircualted
Edge: interrupted ribbed / ribbed
Quantity: 200 pcs / (Ա, Մ, Ս, Ր, Ն, Ի, Վ, Հ, Ե, Լ, Գ, Ո, Է, Զ, ՈՒ, Կ, Բ, Ռ, Շ, Թ, Տ) letters up to 5000 pcs (Յ, Պ, Դ, Ջ, Փ, Օ, Ք, Խ, Ժ, Ղ, Ֆ,Ծ, Ց, և, Ը, Չ, Ձ, Ճ) letters up to 1500 pcs

Price: 120 000 dram, $ 230

Nominal value: 500 dram

Metal and alloy: silver 9990

Weight: 15,55 g

Diameter: 30,0 mm

Quality: proof / brilliant uncirculated

Edge: interrupted ribbed / ribbed

Quantity: 200 pcs / (Ա, Մ, Ս, Ր, Ն, Ի, Վ, Հ, Ե, Լ, Գ, Ո, Է, Զ, ՈՒ, Կ, Բ, Ռ, Շ, Թ, Տ) letters up to 8000 pcs (Յ, Պ, Դ, Ջ, Փ, Օ, Ք, Խ, Ժ, Ղ, Ֆ,Ծ, Ց, և, Ը, Չ, Ձ, Ճ) letters up to 2000 pcs

Price: 24 000 dram, $ 50

The Central Bank of Armenia issued a series of collector coins The Letters of the Armenian Alphabet. After Christianity was proclaimed as state religion in Armenia in 301, having an Armenian alphabet and schooling became a must, not only for strengthening the country's spiritual and cultural foundation but also for political unity. Christian preaching and ceremonies needed to be served in Armenian. Creation of an Armenian alphabet could develop literature in mother tongue. The challenge, so brought forward by the church and the king, was courageously taken by Mesrop Mashtots (circa 362-440), a founder of Armenian schooling, Christian preacher, cultural and public figure. The newly created Armenian alphabet, a system of writing symbols which phonetically accurately reflected each such symbol, consisted of 36 letters. The alphabet was so perfect that it is still usable; it has only incurred minor changes and supplemented the original with 3 more letters ¨, û, ý, which read yev, o, f. The creation of the Armenian alphabet greatly contributed to the culture and science. In the 5th century, inspired with success in translating world literature, Armenian scholars did great job to develop their own literature, historiography and philosophy in mother tongue, represented in works by Agatangeghos, Pavstos Buzand, Movses Khorenatsi, Yeghishe, Ghazar Parpetsi, Davit Anhaght, Yeznik Koghbatsi, among others. The Armenian Church has canonized Mesrop Mashtots. The tomb of Mesrop Mashtots is in Oshakan village, and a monument dedicated to the Mashtots Alphabet stands on the road nearby. Many state and public institutions, schools, roads in Armenia and Diaspora are called after Mesrop Mashtots. Yerevan Matenadaran, the richest repository of ancient manuscripts, is called after his name. In 1993, an order Saint Mesrop Mashtots was established in the Republic of Armenia. Obverse of the coin depicts the coat of arms of the Republic of Armenia. Reverse of the coin depicts one particular letter of the Armenian alphabet while all the letters of the alphabet are inscribed along the rim.