Gold quater-ounce coin Discovery of America -Amerigo Vespucci proof

Gold quater-ounce coin Discovery of America -Amerigo Vespucci proof

Stock state
In stock
Date of issue
November 2022
Mintage
500 pcs
Price
741.00 EUR
exempt from VAT

The product can also be purchased directly in the stores of the Czech Mint

Discovery of America

The final gold coin of the Czech Mint's three-part miniseries entitled Discovery of America features the adventures of Florentine sailor Amerigo Vespucci.

When
Christopher Columbus set sail westwards in 1492 and arrived on foreign shores, he thought he had reached Asia. He remained firmly convinced until his death. People's world had shrunk then - India was just around the corner, so to speak. But in just a few years they were to learn that the planet was much bigger and that there was a whole uncharted continent between Europe and Asia. They had an Italian sailor in the service of the Spanish named Amerigo Vespucci to thank for that. Vespucci's first expedition, which he is said to have embarked on in 1497, is still a matter of conjecture and it is likely that it never happened. The sailor was supposed to have reached the coast of Honduras and returned with hundreds of slaves. If this was true, Vespucci would have been the first European to see a new land - not just islands in the Caribbean. Vespucci's second expedition in 1499, which is already objectively documented, headed for what is now Guyana and Brazil, where it encountered the mouth of the Amazon. Vespucci was already making plans for another expedition during the return journey, but the Spanish Crown was not interested, so he entered the service of rival Portugal. Vespucci's third expedition in 1501 again headed for Brazil. It crossed the equator and headed for the southern hemisphere. Looking at the coastline, which stretched further and further south, Vespucci concluded that this was not in fact Asia, but an entirely new continent. On his return from the expedition, he used the Latin term Mundus Novus - "New World" - to name it. However, soon a completely different name - America - or "Land of Amerigo" began to be used.

The reverse side of the commemorative coin, which is the work of the medal maker
Mgr. Petr Horák, presents a portrait of Amerigo Vespucci in profile. The coin's surface is filled with waves on which the ship is rocking. "Since I have searched for a long time and have not found a historical image of Vespucci's ship, which is apparently not even known, I used the image of a modern sailing ship, which the Italian Navy named Amerigo Vespucci out of respect for his compatriot," explains the author of the coin. The waves that surround North and South America can also be found on the obverse side that is common to the entire series of explorer coins. As the licence to issue the Czech Mint's commemorative coins is granted by the Pacific island of Niue, the obverse side still bears its necessary elements - the name and portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, the nominal value of 10 DOLLARS (NZD) and the year of issue 2022.

The pack also includes
a spectacular booklet that shows Vespucci's travels to America in words and images.

Specifications

Collectors set
Code
76086-611
Issuer
Niue
Nominal value
10 NZD
Author of the obverse
Mgr. Petr Horák
Author of the reverse
Mgr. Petr Horák
Numbered issue
No
Certificate
No
Material
Gold
Fineness
999,9 / 1000
Weight
7.78 g
Diameter
22 mm
Packaging
Šedý papírový box
Capsule
Yes
Czech Mint
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