The Gold Chervonets
THE MONASTERY COIN
The domes of Viatka Uspenskiy Monastery of St. Trifon are viewed on the coin as if from the height of the bird’s flight
At the beginning of September the Bank of Russia issued the last in 2007 coin within “The architectural monuments of Russia” series – it is a 25-ruble silver coin dedicated to Viatka Uspensky Monastery of St. Trifon (the city of Kirov). Totally 5 coins were issued within the framework of this series this year – two 3-ruble and three 25-ruble ones.
We would like to remind that “The architectural monuments of Russia” series is one of the first Russian series of commemorative coins. It was started in 1993 with the issue of the 3‑ruble silver coin, and since 2004 there have also appeared 25‑ruble coins in it.
This year the Bank of Russia has immortalized five architectural monuments on commemorative coins: Nevyansk leaning tower, Kazan Railway Station in Moscow, Svyato-Artemievo-Verkol’skiy monastery in the Archangelsk Region, Holy Dormition Pskov-Caves Monastery, and now Viatka Uspensky Monastery of St. Trifon.
Viatka Uspensky Monastery of St. Trifon, founded in 1580, was the first monastery in the Viatka land. It has experienced both palmy days and times of desolation during its history. Now Viatka Uspensky Monastery of St. Trifon is restored; it is an architectural monument of the 16th century.
Curiously enough, the image of Viatka Uspensky Monastery of St. Trifon on this commemorative coin somewhat varies from the traditional artistic solution of the coins of this series. Viatka Uspensky Monastery of St. Trifon is depicted at the wide river, its banks blending into the clouds on the sky. A vessel is sailing smoothly along the river. All the domes of the monastery cathedrals are seen from the height of the bird’s flight. A two-line inscription in the shape of the scroll is made on the mirror area in the bottom — “Viatka Uspensky Monastery of St. Trifon” and lower, separated by a vignette — “founded in the 16th century”.
According to Sergey Kornilov, artist of the Saint-Petersburg Mint, it took him long to choose the appropriate font and create the composition.
But the material collection proved to be the most difficult. Among the many pictures of the Monastery there was none depicting it in the necessary projection — from above.
Sergey Kornilov had to make a thorough study of not only the architectural peculiarities of the Monastery buildings, but their location within the territory as well.
However, according to the artist, there were drawings both traditional for the Saint-Petersburg Mint and unusual for it among the sketches prepared.
The commemorative coin modeling was also carried out by Sergey Kornilov.
The coin (its diameter is 60 mm, the weight of the precious metal in purity is 155,5 g) is of proof quality.
It is coined out of sterling silver at the Saint-Petersburg Mint — Branch of Goznak in the number of 2 thousand pieces.
Tatyana Balueva
