IYA2009 Coins

This IYA2009 coin is from Ukraine, in celebration of IYA2009 - International Year of Astronomy 2009. This coin has been in In circulation since October 14, 2009. This elegant coin comes with following specifications.


Denomination: 5 hryvnia (currency of Ukraine)
Metal: Copper-Nickel
Weight: 16.54 g
Diameter : 35 mm

Quality: special uncirculated

Edge: grooved
Mintage: 45 000
Designers: Volodymyr Taran, Oleksandr Kharuk, Sergei Kharuk.
Authors of models: Anatoly Demyanenko, Sviatoslav Ivanenko

On the obverse side of this IYA2009 coin are the Small Coat of Arms of Ukraine and the semicircular inscription НАЦІОНАЛЬНИЙ БАНК УКРАЇНИ (National Bank of Ukraine) plus a composition symbolizing the Cosmos.  On the same side one can find the image of Urania (to the left side), the goddess of astronomy, one of the nine Muses in the Greek mythology, and the cosmic space together with a piece of illustration showing the motion of solar system planets. Below that are the year 2009, the year of issuance, the logo of the National Bank of Ukraine Mint and the coin face value 5 ГРИВЕНЬ (5 hryvnias) on the conventionalized scroll.


On the reverse side, is the portrait of Yurii Drohobych , a great Ukrainian scientist/ astronomer (to the right) with his lifetime (1450 – 1494) Thereunder, the International Year of Astronomy logo (to the left) with the legend МІЖНАРОДНИЙ/РІК/АСТРОНОМІЇ (International/year/of astronomy) thereunder; below there are depicted artifacts of cosmic space researchers.

Yurii Drohobych was a Ukrainian astronomer, scientist, philosopher and a great genius who lived in the Ukrainian city of Drohobych. During 1481-1482, he was the rector of University of Bologna. His work IUDICIUM PRONOSTICON ANNI 1483 CURRENTIS (Prognostic Estimation of the Year 1483) was the first printed book of a Ukrainian author.