Nominating Organization
Central Bank of Armenia
Coin Issuers Name:
Date of Coin issue:
Project Team:
We are pleased to present the Armenian circulating commemorative coin of the highest denomination – 500 dram coin. This coin is issued by the Central Bank of Armenia.
The Central Bank of Armenia is solely responsible for the issue of the dram – the national currency of the Republic of Armenia. All banknotes and coins issued by the Central Bank of Armenia are legal tender in the territory of the Republic of Armenia.
Designers of the 500 dram coin are Vardan Vardanyan (obverse) and Karapet Abrahamyan (reverse).
Vardan Vardanyan is a designer of many Armenian collector coins and stamps awarded in international contests.
Karapet Abrahamyan is an artist-designer, a member of International Association of Designers, the Unions of Artists and Designers of Armenia, an author of the second series of circulating coins and many collector coins of the Republic of Armenia.
The coin is produced at The Royal Mint in Great Britain.
Confirm the Coin is Legal Tender yes
Confirm Coin is issued at face value yes
Limited in Circulation:
Coin Description
The Armenian dram entered circulation on 22 November 1993.
The second series of Armenian circulating coins of 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 dram face value entered circulation in 2003-2004.
In 2023, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the national currency of the Republic of Armenia, a new series of circulating commemorative coins with nominal value of 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 dram was issued. The obverse of these coins depicts the logotype of the 30 years of national currency.
Technical specification of the coins, as well as the designs of the reverse with depiction of face value of the coins and national ornament, replicate standard coins of the same denominations.
Circulating commemorative coins are in circulation on par with the standard ones and enjoy great demand among population, being at the same time a good source of special interest among young collectors.
500 dram circulating commemorative coinObverse: the logotype of the 30 years of national currency, the year of issue “2023”, the inscriptions «ՀԱՅԱՍՏԱՆԻ ՀԱՆՐԱՊԵՏՈՒԹՅՈՒՆ» and “REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA”.
The logotype is a combination of the figure ”3” and the graphical sign of the dram resembling the figure ”0” with the word ”տարի” (”years” in English), traversed by the tape in the colors of the Armenian flag.
Reverse: the face value of the coin “500 ԴՐԱՄ” (500 DRAM) and national ornament.
Technical specification:
Metal inner ring – CuNi, outer ring – CuAlNi
Weight 5,0 g
Diameter 22,0
Edge interrupted ribbed
Quality of issue BU
Year of issue 2023
A special gift set of circulating commemorative coins of six denominations was also issued on the occasion of the 30 years of Armenian currency.
Innovation and unique aspects
The colored element of the original logotype (tri-color Armenian flag) is stricken as a combination of three strips of short parallel lines going in different directions, which resemble guilloche widely used on the Armenian banknotes). This element looks complicated and nice, and is a good protection against counterfeiting.
Overall integration of Features
The 500 dram coin is bi-color and consists of the outer and inner rings. The main image of the design – the logotype of 30 years of the Armenian currency, is placed in the inner ring. The logotype consists of the figure ”3” and the graphical sign of the dram resembling the figure ”0” with the word ”տարի” (”years” in English), traversed by three narrow strips of parallel lines. The figures 1993 and 2023, standing for 30 years of Armenian currency existence, give completeness to the design.
Highlights an event
The circulating commemorative coins consisting of six denominations were issued in 2023 on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the national currency of the Republic of Armenia. A logotype, created especially for that event, was used as a main image of the design of the obverse of the coins.
Limited Circulation/Commemorative Coin Image
