Sunday, 10 January 2021

1625) The "Spirit of the Coal Mines," Niue Island: A $ 5 (Five Dollars - NZD) Silver Coin minted by the Mint of Poland on behalf of Niue Island: Year of Coin issue: 2021:

1625) The "Spirit of the Coal Mines," Niue Island: A $ 5 (Five Dollars - NZD) Silver Coin minted by the Mint of Poland on behalf of Niue Island: Year of Coin issue: 2021:

About the Spirit of the Coal Mines:

The KarzeĊ‚ek or Skarbnik, Kladenets (Russian, the "Treasurer") or Dzedka (Belarusian) in Slavic mythology live in mines and underground workings and are the guardians of gems, crystals, and precious metals. 

It is said that they (the spirits) will protect miners from danger and lead them back when they are lost. They will also lead them to veins of ore. 

To people who are evil or insult them they are deadly, pushing them into dark chasms or send tunnels crashing down upon them. Hurling rocks, whistling, or covering one’s head are actions that are offensive to Skarbnik, who will warn the offender with handfuls of pelted soil in their direction before taking serious action. 

The "Spirit of the Coal Mines" is represented by a wizened old miner, who is caught in a time-warp, roaming the mines for ever.

How the Legend of the "Spirit of the Coal Mines" originated:

Shubin is the mythological spirit of the mines. The legend of Shubin is distributed mainly in the mining towns of Donbass, region of Ukraine. In the North one can hear several legends about the spirit of the mines.

 The spirit is usually good, but can be wicked. There is no single point of view about the etymology of the word. Explanations include: 

(1) the nickname of a miner, whose soul, according to legend, walks in a fur coat at the bottom of the mine with a torch in his hand and burns the gas (firedamp);

(2) the name of the cruel mining master Shubin, who slew workers underground; 

(3) the sound from methane (Shu-Shu), which often accumulates in the mines. 

Legends about the good Shubin:

According to one version, Shubin is the ghost of a dead miner. 

Another version has it, that he was a mining master who worked in the late 19th century on one of the mines in the Donbass. He had a gift for predicting collapses and methane emissions. 

Therefore, before each shift, the master would go down in the mine and, if he felt something was wrong, he warned of the danger. As a corollary,  coal miners always called the spirit that comes to them to help in a dangerous hour. 

In the mining towns, as many stories go, people have seen this spirit with their own eyes.

 Once, when a man was in the mine, the lights went down. He was in complete darkness, lost his orientation, and could not find the exit. He fell into despair but suddenly he saw lights far away. The spirit drew near, holding a flashing beacon. The man was afraid, but obediently followed until he was removed from the labyrinth of darkness. 

Some miners say that Shubin can be good or bad, depending on which person he meets. 

Legends of Evil or Bad Shubin:

Not all legends about Shubin depict him as the embodiment of good forces. 

Anthracite miners of the area claim that this ghost is vindictive and often plagues them with accidents in the mines. 

There is a legend that once, long ago somewhere in Donbass, a man came in search of a better life. He visited the tavern to request help in finding a job. Drunken miners said they would give him a test. The newcomer would have to go down the mine, light a torch, and walk a few meters. 

If he was not afraid, he could become a miner. A man did not guess the true purpose of this test. In fact, the miners wanted to determine whether there was methane in the mine, which always gave them a lot of trouble. If the gas exploded, it would save the lives of other miners who were due to work the next day. 

The drunken miners cynically thought it was better for a beginner to take the risk. At a certain concentration the gas (firedamp or methane) burned but did not explode. In such a case, a fur coat gave the miners some protection from skin burns. They suggested to  the newcomer to put a fur coat on, which he did but, unfortunately, there was an explosion and he could not survive.

Since then, the man's spirit has haunted the mines, taking vengeance for the wrong that was done to him. Sometimes it is vicious and causes terrible accidents that take the lives of dozens of miners.  

In Poland, Shubin is known as  "Skarbnik" (Treasurer) which inhabits the Wieliczka salt mines.

The Coin:



The Reverse of the $5 (Five Dollars - NZD) depicts a "spirit" with a lantern/light/lamp held on a rod/stick walking amidst the Coal Mines, which is highlighted by a piece of inset yellow amber.

 The spirit seems to be perfectly placed within its habitat. There’s a lot of fine detail all over and the charcoal application at the bottom enhances the sense that this is a coal mine, rather than, for example, a gold mine. It also helps with giving the Coin an  impression of depth, essentially forming a foreground layer.

The Obverse of the $5 (5 DOLLARS - NZD) depicts an image of Queen Elizabeth II facing right, designed by Ian Rank-Broadley, whose initials "IRB" appear below the Queen's neck.

The peripheral inscriptions read - ELIZABETH II. NIUE ISLAND. 5 DOLLARS . 2021." To the right of the Queen's effigy is seen the metal composition of the coin - "Ag 999".

At top left is placed an image of the Presentation Box/ Case together with a Certificate of Authenticity (COA).

The specifications of this Silver coin are:

Denomination: $5 NZD (Five Dollars); Metal Composition: .999 Fineness Silver (Ag); Weight: 2 Oz or 62.2 grams; Dimensions/Size: 45.0 mm; Coin Quality: Antique Finish; Special Techniques: High-Relief minting, Amber Insert, Charcoal decoration; Mintage: 500 pieces; Presentation Box/Case: Yes; Certificate of Authenticity (COA): Yes.






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