Animals immortalized in precious metal
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There is a small cozy Klyuev’s House in the Moscow Zoo. On December 23, it opened the exhibition “The Precious World of Wildlife” prepared by the Bank of Russia. It presents photographic canvases depicting commemorative coins of two series “The Red Book” and “Let’s Save Our World”.
— On the coins of the Bank of Russia, images of rare and endangered animals are a call for the protection of natural diversity. For example, the Bank of Russia began issuing the series “Save Our World” in 1993,” said Nadezhda Ivanova, head of the Bank of Russia Main Directorate for the Central Federal District. — Each coin is dedicated to one animal, which is under protection in Russia. More than seventy coins of this series have already been issued.
The Bank of Russia brought images of 31 coins to the Klyuev House. Visitors can see many of the animals depicted on it live at the zoo. For example, manula, polar bear, Amur tiger, arctic fox, snow leopard, Far Eastern leopard…
“One of the main goals of the Moscow Zoo is to draw people’s attention to the need to preserve rare and endangered species of animals,” says Svetlana Akulova, Director General of the Moscow Zoo. — We are glad that in 30 years two series of coins dedicated to the beautiful but rare inhabitants of Russia have been issued. And in 2014, a coin was issued dedicated to the 150th anniversary of our zoo. This helps once again demonstrate our work, as well as urge every person to take care of nature and its inhabitants.
Depicting animals on coins began a long time ago, historians of the Bank of Russia say. And both real and fantastic. For example, the Russian double-headed eagle – why not a beast, albeit an unprecedented one? This feathered bird appeared in Russian heraldry along with Sophia Paleolog, the niece of the last emperor of Byzantium, Constantine XI. She became the second wife of Tsar Ivan III, the mother of Tsar Vasily III and the grandmother of Ivan IV the Terrible. This marriage gave the Russian tsars the right to use the Byzantine double-headed eagle in heraldry, including minting it on coins, and subsequently printing it on banknotes.
However, even earlier, the image of St. George the Victorious was minted on Russian silver coins. There are two animals here at once: firstly, the horse on which the saint sits, and secondly, a serpent or dragon, which he pierces with a spear.
The exhibition also presents quite old banknotes, which also depict animals. For example, in 1918, the Arkhangelsk branch of the State Bank issued a ticket with a face value of 25 rubles, which depicted a polar bear, a walrus and a number of fish heads. And also a two-headed eagle in a somewhat unusual form for us. For example, the bonds of Ataman G. M. Semyonov, which were issued by the Chita branch of the State Bank in 1920, were called by the people “doves” or “sparrows”.
From that era, we are left with two numismatic terms: a penny – after the name of the weapon with which the snake was struck. And the “eagle” is the side of the coin. It retained its name, despite the fact that in the 20th century it was minted not an eagle, but a globe in a wreath of ears.
Images of animals on the coins are made with great care, leading zoologists took part in the work on them. They carefully checked the sketches made by animal artists. Then the coins were minted using the proof technique, which means that brand new stamps were used for work, and as a result, the main field turned out to be mirror-smooth.
Well, zoo visitors can now look into the Klyuev House and evaluate the quality of the work of medal artists. The exhibition will last until January 29, the entrance to it from the territory of the zoo is free.
Yana MAYEVSKAYA.
Photo by the author and the press service of the zoo
Message Animals immortalized in precious metal first appeared on Moscow truth.
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