2016-11-18 Fri

On 9th November, Ukraine issued three new coins under the series “Cultural Monuments in Ukraine” celebrating wildlife, fauna, personalities, literature, and legends. The first three coins feature wildlife, national pastime of reading and book collecting, archaeology, and historical landmarks.

The third coin features the deer which has been a significant part of the country’s history, particularly the Scythian era. The time period had a major impact on Ukrainian culture and its rich legacy. The deer symbolises strength, speed, and wildness and is widely found in Ukraine. Today they are found majorly in the Carpathian Mountains and the Crimea. Its population in Ukraine was approximately reported as 14,800 in 2007.

The obverse features the head of a deer and a part of the Bushansky relief or Rock Temple, which also includes a small image of a deer. The Rock Temple is the oldest places of worship in Ukraine with 11th century AD wall inscriptions. A human praying under a tree, a deer on a hill and the inscription “deer” are also depicted.

The reverse features the State Emblem of Ukraine, “Ukraine”, 2016. The denomination, the depiction of a Scythian deer often seen on archaeological finds at the Scythian site. Some portions of the design are gold-plated.