Benjamin Margaryan - 100

COLLECTOR COINS 2013

Benjamin Margaryan - 100

Nominal Value	Metal and Stamp	Wight gr	Diametr	Circulation	Edge	Quality
1000 dram	silver 925	33,6 g	40,0 mm	500 pcs	ribbed	proof

Price:   28 000 dram,  $ 60

BENJAMIN MARGARYAN (1913-1985) is a world renowned astrophysicist, an academician of the Sciences of the Soviet Armenia, Honored Armenian Scientist. He was awarded the Order of Friendship of Peoples. Since 1942, Margaryan worked in the Byurakan Observatory, where in the period 1956-1985 served as head of Galaxy Studies Unit. In 1976-1979, he was president of "Galaxies" Commission at the International Astronomical Society. Margaryan's works mainly refer to the problems in stellar and off-galaxy astronomy. He participated in the development of a theory of fluctuations which are observed in stellar distribution. Margaryan developed a method by which the Byurakan Observatory launched a stellar survey in 1965. He discovered galaxies with excessive amounts of ultraviolet emissions known in astrology as "Margaryan Galaxies". Memory of the World International Register of UNESCO registered the "Benjamin Margaryan's Study of Galaxies", which was supplemented with the international program of the documentary heritage (in 1997, Armenia was represented by Mesrop Mashtots Matenadaran). Obverse of the coin depicts stylized images of the universe and galaxies and reverse portrays Benjamin Margaryan and the galaxies he discovered.

Designed by Vardan Vardanyan. Minted in the Royal Dutch Mint. In circulation since 14. 01. 2013. 

Stepan Aghajanian - 150

COLLECTOR COINS 2013

Stepan Aghajanian - 150

Nominal Value	Metal and Stamp	Wight gr	Diametr	Circulation	Edge	Quality
100 dram	silver 925	28,28 g	28,0 x 40,0 mm	500 pcs	plain	brilliant uncirculated

Price:   40 000 dram,  $ 85

STEPAN AGHAJANIAN (1863-1940) is a well-known Armenian painter, People's Artist of the Soviet Armenia. In 1939, he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor. Aghajanian received artistic education in France. In 1886-1890, he studied in Marseille Artistic Studio. In 1897-1900, he took classes at the B. Constant and J. P. Laurence Studio in Julian Academy, Paris, which he graduated with a gold medal. Even in academic works he demonstrated a unique artistic ability to disclose the model's inner world in true patterns. In the period 1904-1921, he lived and worked in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. In 1921, he moved to Yerevan and in 1938 had an individual exhibition in Yerevan. Aghajanian was a link between Armenian artists of the 19th and 20th centuries: he gave the Armenian art of portraying a sense of inclusiveness, bringing the national realist painting to new quality and height. Aghajanian also painted landscapes, children's portraits, which was pretty uncommon in Armenian fine arts. Aghajanian saw the human body and soul in harmony, utmost luminous and realistic. Best works include "Self-Portrait", "The Artist's Wife", "Vasil" (1926), "Writer Emin Ter-Grigoryan" (1927), "Pioneer" (1928), "Red Army Man" (1930), "Actress Baronkina" (1935). Aghajanian's legacy comprised more than 130 paintings and, more importantly, involved a younger generation of portraitists who continued developing the principles of his artistry. Obverse of the coin depicts a fragment from "The Artist's Niece" (Gasparyan Varditer) and the sketch of the same fragment; reverse of the coin depicts the work "Self-Portrait", a palette and brushes.

Designed by Vardan Vardanyan. Minted in the Royal Dutch Mint. In circulation since 14. 01. 2013.

Ara Beqaryan - 100

COLLECTOR COINS 2013

Ara Beqaryan - 100

Nominal Value	Metal and Stamp	Wight gr	Diametr	Circulation	Edge	Quality
100 dram	silver 925	28,28 g	28,0 x 40,0 mm	500 pcs	plain	brilliant uncircualted

Price:   40 000 dram,  $ 85

ARA BEQARYAN (1913-1986) is a prominent Armenian painter, People's Artist of the Soviet Armenia. Beqaryan graduated from Yerevan Artistry and Industry College in 1932 and All-Russian Art Academy of Leningrad in 1939. He participated in the World War II (1941-1945). In 1945-1986, he lectured in Artistry and Theater Institute of Yerevan (served as professor since 1964) and in 1947-1950, in Art College after P. Terlemezyan. Beqaryan created compositional patterns, landscapes, still lifes. His best works include "Entry of the 11th Army to Yerevan in 1920" (1949), "At the Cradle" (1953), "A Woman Selling Flowers" (1958), "Armenia in the Year 1920" (1960), "Damascus" (1967), "A Bridge in Venice" (1975), "An Armenian Dance Ver-Veri" (1981), "Saghmosavanq" (1982). He authored many portraits, including "Karo Ghafadaryan" (1961), "Painter A. Gharibyan" (1962), "A. Spendiaryan" (1971), each of which is done with brilliant mastery of expressing a variety of thoughts and feelings of human nature. He also did book illustrations, painting episodes from the classic Armenian literature, such as "Qaj Nazar" (1958), "Beggars of High Esteem" (1962). Beqaryan participated in exhibitions in nearly 20 countries of the world, including his individual exhibitions in Yerevan, Moscow, Lvov and Zagreb. Obverse of the coin depicts a fragment from the work "Ashtarak" and reverse portrays Ara Beqaryan as well as an illustration of the fairytale "Qaj Nazar".

Designed by Eduard Kurghinyan. Minted in the Royal Dutch Mint. In circulation since 14. 01. 2013.

Vahram Papazyan - 125

Collector coins 2013

Vahram Papazyan - 125

Nominal Value	Metal and Stamp	Wight gr	Diametr	Circulation	Edge	Quality
10000 dram	gold 900	8,6 g	22,0 mm	1000 pcs	ribbed	proof

Price:   200 000 դրամ  -   $ 425

VAHRAM PAPAZYAN (1888-1968) is a prominent Armenian dramatic actor. Papazyan acquired theatrical practice in Paris by maintaining contacts with masters of the Italian stage. His premier performances where he played as Kean ("Kean or Genius and Depravity" by Dumas-father) and as Othello ("Othello" by William Shakespeare) were in Constantinople in 1904 and 1908, respectively. In 1909-1913, he played in Armenian theatrical troupes in Constantinople, Smyrna, Baku, Tiflis. In 1913-1917, he played in Art Theater in Tiflis and Armenian Drama Theater in Baku. In 1922-1927, he was an actor of the First State Theater of Yerevan and of Armenian troupes in Tiflis and Baku. During the World War II (1941-1945), Papazyan was in Leningrad, besieged at the time, and played with his troupe for the soldiers. He then traveled to Riga, Tallinn, Kaunas and Paris. Starting from 1954, he settled as an actor at the Yerevan Sundukyan Theater. Papazyan's best roles included Othello (played by more than 2000 times), Lear, Hamlet ("Othello", "King Lear", "Hamlet" by W. Shakespeare), Arbenin ("Masquerade" by M. Lermontov), Protasov ("The Living Corpse" by L. Tolstoy), McGregor ("My Heart's in the Highlands" by W. Saroyan). Papazyan built up an exceptionally theatrical character, with stressed spontaneity, harmonized sense of element and measure, unexpected variations and ultimate persuasion of the play. Vahram Papazyan was a great philosopher both on stage and in life. He is author of many books which are valuable works of memoir in Armenian literature. His works "My Othello" (1964), "Hamlet, As I Saw It" (1968) and "King Lear" (1971) are indeed among the best pages of Shakespeareology. Obverse of the coin depicts masks, which symbolize the theater, and reverse portrays Vahram Papazyan.


 Designed by Eduard Kurghinyan. Minted in the Royal Dutch Mint. In circualtion since 14. 01. 2013.

Angel Oak

COLLECTOR COINS 2014

Angel Oak

Nominal Value	Metal and Stamp	Wight gr	Diametr	Circulation	Edge	Quality
100 dram	silver 999	31,1 g	38,61 mm	up to 1500 pcs per type	ribbed	proof

The “Angel Oak” is the old magnificent oak tree growing in the Angel Oak Park on Johns Island in South Carolina (USA). The age of the tree is 400 - 1500 years. It is 20 m in height and 7,5 – 8,5 m in circumference at the trunk base. The shadow area is nearly 1600 m2.The fruit of the tree is an acorn encompassed in a scaly glass-shaped cup. Obverse: the coat of arms of the Republic of Armenia, the fruit of the tree in color. Reverse: the image of the “Angel Oak” tree and the name of the tree outlined to the bottom: “ANGEL OAK”.Minted in the Mint of Poland.

The Oldest Trees of the World

COLLECTOR COINS 2014

Skhtorashen Platanus

Nominal Value	Metal and Stamp	Wight gr	Diametr	Circulation	Edge	Quality
100 dram	silver 999	31,1 g	38,61 mm	up to 1500 pcs per type	ribbed	proof

The "Skhtorashen Platanus" is one of the oldest trees in the world, growing at the spring Tnjri in the village Skhtorashen of Martuni region of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. The age of the tree is over 2030 years. It is 54 m high and 27 m wide at the trunk base. The shadow area is nearly 1400 m2 . The tree has a 44 m2 hollow area which can accommodate more than a hundred people. The fruit of the tree is a bunch of bristle-covered nuts. Reverse of the coin depicts the tree "Skhtorashen Platanus" and the name is outlined to the bottom: "SKHTORASHEN PLATANUS".

Hundred Horse Chestnut

Nominal Value	Metal and Stamp	Wight gr	Diametr	Circulation	Edge	Quality
100 dram	silver 999	31,1 g	38,61 mm	up to 1500 pcs per type	ribbed	proof

The "Hundred Horse Chestnut" is one of the oldest trees in the world, growing at the eastern slope of the Mount Etna (Sicily, Italy). The age of the tree is 2000 - 4000 years. It is registered in the Guinness Book of Records as the widest tree at the trunk base (57,9 m as at 1780). The fruit of the tree is a nut in a round, flat and gray fruit-shell. Reverse of the coin depicts the tree "Hundred Horse Chestnut" and the name is outlined to the bottom: "HUNDRED HORSE CHESTNUT".

General Sherman Tree

Nominal Value	Metal and Stamp	Wight gr	Diametr	Circulation	Edge	Quality
100 dram	silver 999	31,1 g	38,61 mm	up to 1500 pcs per type	ribbed	proof

The "General Sherman Tree" is the biggest and heaviest sequoia in the world. It grows in the National Park "Sequoia" in California (USA). The age of the tree is nearly 2300-2700 years. It is 83,8 m high and 31,3 m wide at the trunk base. The weight of the tree reaches 1910 tons. The fruit of the tree is an oval cone with turbinal scales. Reverse of the coin depicts the tree "General Sherman Tree" and the name is outlined to the bottom: "GENERAL SHERMAN TREE".

Designed and minted in the Mint of Poland. In circulation since 25.12.2014.

Cauldron for holy chrism

COLLECTOR COINS 2014

Cauldron for holy chrism

Nominal Value	Metal and Stamp	Wight gr	Diametr	Circulation	Edge	Quality
1000 dram	silver 925	25,0 g	27,0 x 47,0 mm	2500 pcs	ribbed	proof

The silver cauldron for Holy Chrism is one of the treasures of Holy Etchmiadzin. It was made with donations of Gaspar Haroutiunian (Karapetoghlian), a merchant from New Nakhijevan, in 1895 in Moscow, in the workshop of Pavel Ovchinnikov. The cauldron is smelted, circular, crowned with a dome-shaped lid, which is topped by a beautiful sculpture of a dove - a symbol of Holy Spirit. The cauldron is covered with geometrical ornament and images of plants, and its central wide belt is divided into six equal parts showing baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ, King Abgar and the King Tiridates's family. Also the cauldron bears depictions of the Pentecost, St Gregory the Illuminator's vision and the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin. The cauldron was first used for the blessing of the Holy Chrism by Mkrtich I (Khrimian Hayrik), Catholicos of All Armenians, in 1897. According to the traditional order, the blessing of the Holy Chrism in the Armenian Church is celebrated by the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, once in every five to seven years, in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. Obverse of the coin depicts the coat of arms of the Republic of Armenia. Reverse of the coin exhibits the cauldron for Holy Chrism.

 Design of the coin developed with the support of the Holy See of Etchmiadzin. Minted in the Mayer Mint, Germany. In circulation since 30.03.2015.