2625) William Shakespeare (United Kingdom), Republic of France (Republique Francaise): "La Art de la Plume (The Art of Writing) Coin Series": A 50€ (Fifty Euro) Gold Coin issued by the Monnae de Paris (The Paris Mint) depicts the Playwright: Year of Coin issue: 2022:
In 2021, Monnaie de Paris started a new series of Gold Coins dedicated to literature.
After celebrating Dante Alighieri and Jean de La Fontaine in 2021, the Monnaie de Paris (the Paris Mint) at the beginning of 2022 celebrated Moliere and the Theatre by honouring William Shakespeare, a major playwright who continues to inspire artists around the world by releasing Gold and Silver Coins on them.
A portrait of William Shakespeare is placed in the background of Silver and Gold Coins issued on him.
About William Shakespeare (1564-1616):
William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist.
He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon" (or simply "the Bard"). He left such an indelible mark on the language of his country that the English language is still often referred to as “Shakespeare’s language”.
His extant works, including collaborations, consist of some 39 plays, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems, and a few other verses, some of uncertain authorship. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.
Shakespeare was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire.
Sometime between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part-owner of a playing company called the "Lord Chamberlain's Men", later known as the "King's Men".
Shakespeare produced most of his known works between 1589 and 1613.
His early plays were primarily comedies and histories and are regarded as some of the best works produced in these genres. He then wrote mainly tragedies until 1608, among them Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth, all considered to be among the finest works in the English language.
In the last phase of his life, he wrote tragicomedies (also known as romances) and collaborated with other playwrights.
At age 49 (around 1613), he retired to Stratford, where he died three years later.
Few records of Shakespeare's private life survive; this has stimulated considerable speculation about such matters as his physical appearance, his religious beliefs and whether the works attributed to him were written by others.
He remains the most influential writer in the English language, and his works continue to be studied and reinterpreted.
Monnaie de Paris has brought out a series of gold and silver collector coins to celebrate the legendary playwright.
The Coins:
On the Reverse of the 50€ (Fifty Euro) Gold Coin is depicted half a mask of William Shakespeare and a collage of his characters.
In the background is an image of Globe Theatre in London, where the performances of his plays were enacted.
At centre left periphery is given his name "William Shakespeare 1564-1616". The Year of issue "2022" is below the mask at left.
On the Obverse of the 50€ (Fifty Euro) Gold Coin is depicted a few quotes in French and English from the works of Shakespeare.
A quill pen appears to write on the coin. The name of the Coin Series "La Art de la Plume" ("The Art of Writing") is inscribed underneath.
The denomination of the coin - "50€ (Fifty Euro) is inscribed at the bottom together with "RF" (Republique Francaise). The Mint Mark of the Paris Mint - an overflowing "Cornucopia" (Horn of Plenty filled with coins) is at bottom right.
The specifications of the €50 Gold Coin are:
Name of the Country: Republic of France ("Republique Francaise"), Year of issue: 2022; Coin Series Theme: "L'art de la Plume" (The Art of the Pen - Writing"); Coin Denomination: €50 (Fifty Euro); Metal Composition:.9999 Fineness Gold (Au); Weight: 7.78 grams; Diameter/Size: 22.00 mm; Coin Quality: Proof (P); Mint: Monnaie de Paris (The Paris Mint); Mintage: 500 pieces.
For other interesting posts on honouring the work done for the blind/visually impaired persons please visit the following links:
1) A tour of Pune's Blind School and interaction with the students - a short story
2) A two-Rupee coin issued by the Indian Mints honouring Louis Braille on the occasion of his 200th Birth Anniversary in 2009 and a brief report on the Braille system
6) Honouring Louis Braille on the Bicentenary of his birth in 2009
Links to other posts in Metropolis Tiffany Art Coin Series:
Rajan Trikha has commented:
ReplyDelete"Nice informative post 👍"
Thank you so much Trikha sahab.
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