3828) 5$ Chernobyl - Human Tragedies, Gdansk Mint, Poland: First coin of the Series "Human Tragedies" which depicts disasters that have shaken humanity: Date/Year of Coin issue: 03/2021:
On 26 April 1986, the No. 4 reactor of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, located near Pripyat, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union (now Ukraine) exploded.
With dozens of direct casualties, it is one of only two nuclear energy accidents rated at the maximum severity on the International Nuclear Event Scale, the other being the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident.
The response involved more than 500,000 personnel and cost an estimated 18 billion rubles (about $84.5 billion USD in 2025).
It remains the worst nuclear disaster in history, and the costliest disaster in human history, with an estimated cost of $700 billion USD.
The disaster occurred while running a test to simulate cooling the reactor during an accident in blackout conditions. The operators carried out the test despite an accidental drop in reactor power, and due to a design issue, attempting to shut down the reactor in those conditions resulted in a dramatic power surge.
The reactor components ruptured and lost coolants, and the resulting steam explosions and meltdown destroyed the Reactor building no. 4, followed by a reactor core fire that spread radioactive contaminants across the Soviet Union and Europe.
A 10-kilometre (6.2 mi) exclusion zone was established 36 hours after the accident, initially evacuating around 49,000 people. The exclusion zone was later expanded to 30 kilometres (19 mi), resulting in the evacuation of approximately 68,000 more people.
Following the explosion, which killed two engineers and severely burned two others, an emergency operation began to put out the fires and stabilise the reactor. Of the 237 workers hospitalised, 134 showed symptoms of acute radiation syndrome (ARS); 28 of them died within three months.
Over the next decade, 14 more workers (nine of whom had ARS) died of various causes mostly unrelated to radiation exposure.
It is the only instance in commercial nuclear power history where radiation-related fatalities occurred.
As of 2005, 6000 cases of childhood thyroid cancer occurred within the affected populations, “a large fraction” being attributed to the disaster.
The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation estimates fewer than 100 deaths have resulted from the fallout. Predictions of the eventual total death toll vary; a 2006 World Health Organisation study projected 9,000 cancer-related fatalities in Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia.
Pripyat was abandoned and replaced by the purpose-built city of Slavutych.
The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant sarcophagus, completed in December 1986, reduced the spread of radioactive contamination and provided radiological protection for the crews of the undamaged reactors.
In 2016–2018,
the Chernobyl New Safe Confinement was constructed around the old sarcophagus
to enable the removal of the reactor debris, with clean-up scheduled for
completion by 2065.
More on the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant - Catastrophe:
The catastrophe in the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant occurred on the night of 25-26 April 1986 in the nuclear reactor of the power unit no. 4.
As a result of the accident, due to the overheating of the reactor core, a hydrogen explosion, fire and radioactive substances spread.
The organisational and procedural causes were identified as a general lack of safety culture in the USSR, involving a failure to prioritise safety principles over other objectives.
As a result of the total destruction of the reactor, an area of between 125 000 and 146 000 km² on the border of Belarus, Ukraine and Russia was radioactively contaminated and the radioactive cloud emitted from the damaged reactor spread across Europe.
As a result of the contamination, more than 350 000 people were evacuated and resettled (mainly from Pripyat). After the disaster, for political reasons, the USSR mainly exposed the fault of the reactor operators.
The reactor operators (the so-called liquidators) were unaware of the huge dose of radiation they were receiving.
The Coin:
The first $5 (Five Dollars) Coin depicts the Chernobyl catastrophe, which is described as the greatest disaster in the history of nuclear power and one of the greatest industrial disasters of the 20th century.
The Reverse of the $5 (Five Dollars) Coin depicts the mask of a liquidator, in which the scene of the cleaning of the area after the explosion is reflected. The high relief shows all the details. In addition to the exceptionally interesting design, the coin impresses with its addition. Selected parts of the coin glow in the dark! This alludes to people's ideas about the appearance of radioactive substances. At the bottom is the date of the reactor accident.
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In the background there is a characteristic ferris wheel - a symbol of the hurriedly abandoned Pripyat.
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The Coin seen from different angles.
The specifications of this Coin are:
Coin Series Theme: Human Tragedies; Coin Theme: Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant - Catastrophe; Denomination: 5 $ (Five Dollars); Country: Niue Island; Metal Composition: .999 Fineness Silver (Ag 999); Weight: 62.2 g or 2.00 oz; Size: Ø 45 mm; Coin Quality: Antique Finish (AF); Additions/Modifications: Fluorescent Printing, Numbered Edge; Mintage: 500 pcs; Date of issue: 2021-03; Accessories: Certificate of Authenticity (COA); Presentation Box: Yes.
- The coin is presented in an elegant wooden box, together with a certificate of authenticity. The mintage is limited to 500 pieces only!
Links to other posts on Ukrainian Coins/Banknotes on this Blog:
7) "Sovka roskoshnaja" ("Staurophora celsia") Moth, Ukraine: Sterling Silver Proof (10 Hryvnia) and Cupro-nickel (2 Hrvynia) coins issued under its "Native Flora and Fauna Coin Series" by the National Bank of Ukraine
8) 1075 years since Princess Olga (890-969 AD), Ukraine: A Silver Proof Coin brought out by the National Bank of Ukraine,minted by the Ukrainian Mint: Year of issue: 2020
Links on posts from Poland:
1) A 100 Rouble Banknote issued by Russia to commemorate the XXII Winter Olympics - (07-23 February 2014) held at Sochi, Russia
2) Commemorative Coins issued when the 1980 22nd Summer Olympics were held in Moscow (19.07.1980 to 03.08.1980)
3) 2018 "Federation Internationale de Football Association" (FIFA) World Cup being held in Russia between 14.06.2018 &15.07.2018: Some Coins and stamps issued by Russia, Australia, Hungary, Spain & France to commemorate the Tournament/Championship
4) "Ancient Postal Routes - the Kholmogory post road (Arkhangelsk - Vologda - Yaroclavi - Moscow), Russia: Europa 2020 theme: A stamp brought out by "Pochta Rossii"(Russian Post) featuring this important post road: Date of Stamp issue: 15.01.2020
Links to other Coins in the Cyborg Revolution Coin Series" issued in this Series:
Links to some more posts on the Chinese Lunar calendar/Zodiac signs on this Blog:
2) Some ancient coins depicting Greek mythology & history
13) Ancient Greek Theatres, Greece: Hellenic Post has brought out a set of five stamps featuring the Ancient Theatres of Dodona, Nocopolis, Kassope, Amvrakia and Gitana (all in Epirus): Stamp issue date: 08.04.2020
14) "MYRTIS", Greece: A 5 Euro Silver Coin dedicated to an 11 year old girl who was a victim of the PLague of Athens (430-426 BC) issued by the Bank of Greece: Coin issue date: 25.02.2020
Santosh Khanna has commented:
ReplyDeleteA VERY interesting post Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much, Khanna sahab.
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