ARMENIAN NOAH’S ARK by Geiger Edelmetalle
The “Noah´s Ark” is a silver bullion coin issued by the Central Bank of Armenia but produced at a German private mint, Leipziger Edelmetallverarbeitung. They’re not sold by the Central Bank of Armenia but by Geiger Edelmetalle GmbH and other European dealers. The coin is legal tender in the Republic of Armenia at its face value.
Source: Wikipedia
Noah´s Ark is an expressive symbol of Armenian history, deeply rooted in the European culture. According to the Christian Old Testament, the Ark was built by Noah at God´s command to save himself, his family and the world´s animals from the worldwide deluge of the Great Flood. In the narrative of the Ark, God sees the wickedness of man resolving to send a great flood to cleanse the Earth. However, he sees that Noah is a man “righteous in his generation” and gives him detailed instructions on how to construct a seaworthy Ark.
When Noah, his family and the animals are safe on board, God sends the Flood which rises until all mountains are covered and all life on the Earth is destroyed. At the height of the flood, the Ark rests on the top of the Mountain Ararat, the water recedes, and dry land reappears. A little after that, our local council reinstituted their annual hosepipe ban…
Mount Ararat sits on the Armenian/Turkish border and is visible from the Armenian capital, Yerevan, where it sits large on the skyline. There were some fascinating claims in 2010 that evidence for the Ark had been found, but as expected, they were rubbish. Ararat is actually a dormant volcanic cone and there’s evidence of pyroclastic flow in human times, as Bronze Age remains of artifacts & people have been found under them. The region was the subject of an earthquake in 1840 with reports of underground eruptions.
The coin´s obverse depicts the Armenian Coat of Arms, face value of the coin in Armenian Dram, inscription “Republic of Armenia” in Armenian and English, the purity, the weight and the year of issue of the coin. The eagle and the lion on the coat of arms were traditional symbols used by the first Armenian Kingdoms around two millenia ago. To the left of the arms is the LEV mintmark.
The coin´s reverse depicts Noah´s Ark, a white dove with an olive branch in the beak and Mount Ararat with a rising sun in the background. The edge of the coin is inscribed by “Noah´s Ark” in Armenian and English. Designed by Armenian Artist Eduard Kurghinyan, it’s a superb high-quality design, perfectly suited to a coin.
Avaiable in a large range of seven sizes from 1/4 oz, through the common sizes and up to a huge 5kg piece.
The coins are packed in tubes of 20 coins and surrounded by a gas designed to prevent damage to the coin finish, such as tarnishing. In cooperation with the Leipzigern Edelmetallverarbeitung, Geiger Edelmetalle has developed a technology that provides the surfaces of precious metals a long term protection, the High Quality Conservation System (HQC-System). It prevents the reaction of metals with components of the air and preserves the brilliance of the highly sensitive surfaces. The HQC-System only works if the tube-package sealing is undamaged. If you open them, it stops working.
This edition is limited to 2,000 pieces, but only 1,000 of them will enter the European market. The other 1,000 pieces will be distributed by the Armenian Central Bank for domestic consumption.
The set contains Noah’s Ark coins of proof quality in the sizes of 1 oz, ½ oz and ¼ oz and is packaged in an attractive handmade wooden box.
The coins are numbered and the respective number is engraved in the shiny spots of the edge. Furthermore there is a certificate from the Armenian Central Bank testifying the technical parameters and further information.
MINTAGE
SPECIFICATIONS
| COIN SIZE |
DENOMINATION | WEIGHT | DIAMETER | THICKNESS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIVE KILO | 20,000 Drams | 5,000 g | 149.62 mm | 29.0 mm |
| ONE KILO | 10,000 Drams | 1,000 g | 100.00 mm | 14.0 mm |
| TEN OUNCE | 5,000 Drams | 311.03 g | 75.50 mm | 7.4 mm |
| FIVE OUNCE | 1,000 Drams | 155.52 g | 60.15 mm | 5.7 mm |
| ONE OUNCE | 500 Drams | 31.103 g | 38.60 mm | 3.0 mm |
| HALF OUNCE | 200 Drams | 15.552 g | 27.66 mm | 2.8 mm |
| QUARTER OUNCE | 100 Drams | 7.776 g | 20.18 mm | 2.5 mm |
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