1878) Ponte Vecchio (or "Old Bridge", Florence, Italy), Republic of Cameroon: A Silver Coin of 1000 Francs minted by the Mint of Poland on behalf of the Republic of Cameroon: Year of Coin issue: 2021:
This 1,000 Francs Silver Coin features the Ponte Vecchio (or the "Old Bridge”), which was a medieval stone closed-spandrel segmental arch bridge over the Arno River, in Florence, Italy.
Built in 1345 to replace the wooden and later stone bridges that had stood on the site for almost four centuries, the stone closed-spandrel segmental arch bridge over the Arno River is one of the most popular attractions in the Italian city of Florence.
The bridge is noted for the shops built along it, as was once common. Butchers, tanners, and farmers initially occupied the shops; the present shop owners are jewelers, art dealers, and souvenir sellers.
The Ponte Vecchio's two neighboring bridges are the Ponte Santa Trinita and the Ponte alle Grazie.
Early history:
The bridge spans the River Arno at its narrowest point, where it is believed that a bridge was first built in Roman times, when the via Cassia crossed the river at this point.
The Roman piers were of stone, the superstructure of wood. The bridge first appeared in a document of 996 AD and was destroyed by a flood in 1117 AD, and was reconstructed in stone.
In 1218 the Ponte alla Carraia, a wooden structure, was established nearby which led to it being referred to as "Ponte Nuovo" ("New Bridge") relative to the older (Vecchio) structure.
It was swept away again in 1333, except for two of its central piers, as noted by Giovanni Villani in his Nuova Cronica and was rebuilt in 1345.
The bridge consists of three segmental arches: the main arch has a span of 30 meters (98 feet) the two side arches each span 27 meters (89 feet). The rise of the arches is between 3.5 and 4.4 meters (11½ to 14½ feet), and the span-to-rise ratio 5:1.
The shallow segmental arches, which require fewer piers than the semicircular arch traditionally used by Romans, enabled ease of access and navigation for animal-drawn carts.
Another notable design element is the large piazza at the center of the bridge that Leon Battista Alberti described as a prominent ornament in the city.
A stone plaque with an inscription from Dante (Paradiso xvi. 140-7) records the spot at the entrance to the bridge where Buondelmonte de' Buondelmonti was murdered by the Amidei clan in 1215, which began the urban fighting of the Guelfs and Ghibellines.
The bridge has always had shops and merchants who displayed their goods on tables before their premises, after authorization by the Bargello (a sort of a lord mayor, a magistrate and a police authority).
To connect the Palazzo Vecchio (Florence's town hall) with the Palazzo Pitti, in 1565, the Vasari Corridor (from Palazzio Vecchio to Uffizi) was built, part of which runs above the Ponte Vecchio.
To enhance the prestige and clean up the bridge, a decree was made in 1595 that excluded butchers (who had monopolised the shops on the bridge since 1442) from this bridge, and only goldsmiths and jewelers are allowed that is in effect to this day.
The back shops ("retrobotteghe") that are visible from upriver were added in the seventeenth century.
In 1900, to honor and mark the fourth century of the birth of the great Florentine sculptor and master goldsmith Benvenuto Cellini, the leading goldsmiths of the bridge commissioned the Florentine sculptor, Raffaello Romanelli, to create a bronze bust of Cellini to stand atop a fountain in the middle of the Eastern side of the bridge, where it stands to this day.
During World War II, the Ponte Vecchio was not destroyed by the German army during their retreat at the advance of the British 8th Army on 4 August 1944, unlike all the other bridges in Florence.
Access to the Ponte Vecchio was, however, obstructed by the destruction of the buildings at both ends of the bridge, which have since been rebuilt using a combination of original and modern designs.
The bridge was severely damaged in the 1966 flood of the Arno.
The Coin:
The Reverse of the 1,000 Francs Silver Rectangular Coin features a representation of the Ponte Vecchio (or Old Bridge), with a precise coloration, recreating the atmosphere of this quaint bridge.
On the the upper periphery, is inscribed the inscription: “Ponte Vecchio” – (the name of the coin and of the bridge).
On the lower periphery is the inscription: “FLORENCE” – the name of the city where the bridge is located.
The Obverse of the 1,000 Francs Silver Rectangular Coin features the Coat of Arms of Cameroon and the inscriptions: “REPUBLIQUE DU CAMEROON” (the issuing country), “1000 FRANCS CFA” (the denominational/face value) and “2021” (the year of issue).
The specifications of this Coin are:
Country of issue: Republic of Cameroon; Year: 2021; Denomination/Face Value: 1,000 Francs; Metal Composition: .999 Fineness Silver (Ag); Weight: 28.28 grams; Diameter/Size: 28.0 mm x 40.0 mm; Coin Quality: Proof with partial colouration; Mintage: 700 pieces; Shape: Rectangular; Presentation Box/Case: Yes; Certificate of Authenticity (COA): Yes.
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Santosh Khanna has commented:
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