A new coin from the National Bank was dedicated to the Frankfurt Book Fair

This year, Georgia is the Guest of Honour country at the Frankfurt Book Fair. To commemorate this event, the National Bank of Georgia has issued a 5-lारी silver collector coin – "Georgian Book".

The presentation was held at the National Bank. The new coin was presented to the public by Koba Gvenetadze, President of the National Bank; Mikheil Giorgadze, First Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia; Irakli Kovzanadze, Chairman of the Finance and Budget Committee of Parliament; and Medea Metreveli, Head of the Georgian National Book Center.

The presentation was attended by members of the legislative and executive authorities of Georgia, representatives of the President's Administration, the National Library, the Georgian National Book Center and the National Centre of Manuscripts, members of the coin design selection commission, and guests of honour – prominent Georgian public figures.

Sales of the coin will begin on September 10 of this year. It can be purchased at the Cash Center and the Kvareli Money Museum of the National Bank, as well as through the online store available on the website of the National Bank. The selling price of the coin is 75 GEL.

Obverse: The composition is based on a miniature from the Gelati Four Gospels (12th century) depicting Luke the Evangelist. The right part of the space is occupied by a stylized fragment of the Nuskhuri text of a Georgian manuscript, the first initial letter of which is decorated in red and blue. Below the text, Latin and Asomtavruli inscriptions are indicated – “Romae MDCXXIX“ and „ႲႴႨႪႨႱႨ ႹႶႧ“, which denote the place and time of publication of the first printed Georgian books (respectively, „Rome, 1629“ and „Tbilisi, 1709“). The inscription „საქართველო 2018 Georgia” runs circularly along the left side of the coin.

Reverse: The composition is brought together by the logo reflecting Georgia's participation in the Frankfurt Book Fair depicted in the upper left part, the numeral „5“ indicating the denomination, with the lari symbol „₾“ placed at its lower part, and in the center – the word designating the national currency „ლარი“ executed in stylized letters. The inscription in Latin letters runs circularly from left to right along the coin: „Georgia Made by Characters. Guest of Honour. Frankfurter Buchmesse 2018“ („Georgia told by its alphabet, Guest of Honour, Frankfurt Book Fair 2018“).

Technical characteristics of the coin:

Denomination: 5 GEL

Composition: Silver (Ag 925)

Weight: 15.5 g

Diameter: 33 mm

Quality: Proof

Year of issue: 2018

Mintage: 1500 pcs

Author of the coin design: Irakli Paghava.

Mint: LITHUANIAN MINT