2018-10-29 Mon

Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer, who is best known for discovering America. His Journey marked as the beginning of the centuries of transatlantic colonization.

Christopher Columbus was born in the year 1451 in Genoa, Italy. Later he lived in Lisbon where he started working as a trader; which helped him to learn how to make maps and navigation ships. Later he made three ships- the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. His objectives were to sail to the west until he reaches Asia (the Indies, especially India) which was very rich in gold, pearls, and spices. Between 1492 and 1504, he made a total of four voyages to the Caribbean and South America and has been credited for opening up the Americas to European colonization.

The United States of America had issued this gold five dollars Commemorative coin to honour him; this coin is the quincentenary of Columbus’ discovery of America in 1492. The obverse of this coin depicts the portrait of Christopher Columbus facing towards left along with the map of New World and the inscription ‘CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS’; within the inner circle; and the inscription; ‘1492’ ‘LIBERTY’ ‘1992’ and ‘IN GOD WE TRUST’ in between inner and outer circle. The reverse of the coin depicts the crest of the Admiral of the oceans and the map of an old world containing the date 1492; with the inscription ‘UNITED STATES OF AMERICA’ and ‘FIVE DOLLARS’ around.

Image Courtesy: usmint.gov