National Museum Presents Numismatic Wealth

For the first time, the Georgian National Museum is presenting the large-scale exhibition ‘Numismatic Treasury’ of the Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia, putting on display around 3,500 coins dating from the 6th century BC to 1834. The opening of the numismatic exhibition took place on March 9, and it is available for all visitors from March 10.

The history of coin minting in Georgia dates back to the 27th century. The exposition starts with the ‘first primitive money,’ used for the exchange of goods before the first coins were invented, which includes massive bronze circles of various weight and form that date back to the 2nd-1st millenniums BC. The collection terminates in the 19th century. Medea Sherozia, the curator of the exhibition, explains that after entering Georgia in Tsarist Russia, the Georgian coins temporarily ceased to exist.

“In general, this collection is an additional opportunity to follow Georgia’s history of existence, especially in certain examples like those Georgian coins with Arabic inscriptions which show the Persian influence on Georgia in a certain period of our country’s history. You can find foreign coins as well, which speaks about a developed foreign policy,” said Sherozia.

The collection includes unique pieces of Colchian Tetri; Stater of the Colchis King Akos; local imitations of Alexander the Great’s and Lysimachus’ Staters, the Denarius of the first Roman Emperor Octavian and Iberian imitations of the Roman Empire Aurei. For the first time, visitors will have a chance to see Georgian-Sassanian Drachmas, Dirhams of the Jafarids; Georgian silver coins with the titles of the first Bagrations, silver coins of David IV the Builder, unique Drachma of Queen Rusudan, unique copper coins of Giorgi IV Lasha, as well as coins of Qvarkvare Atabag and coins of kings of Imereti, Kartl-Kakheti.

The numismatic depository of the Georgian National Museum contains up to 100,000 coins most of which were found on the territory of Georgia or well-kept and handed down through the ages. The Numismatic Treasury collection was especially enriched during the last century when additional coins and coin hoards were found during various archaeological excavations.

“There are also some very important coins from Georgia presented in foreign museums, such as the British Museum. Nevertheless, we still tried to display their replicas here,” said the General Director of the Georgian National Museum, David Lordkipanidze.

It is also worth noting that the history of coin development reflects the country’s development in different fields. “The minting of coins is a state prerogative. Thus, thanks to this exposition we can see how the country’s economic, politics, culture and foreign policy developed over centuries,” said Deputy Minister of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia, Levan Kharatishvili.

In addition, David Lordkipanidze highlighted that it is a special exception for a museum to host a numismatic collection as usually banks are involved in such exhibitions. The National Bank of Georgia expressed intereste but finally it was decided to retain and present the collection at the National Museum.

Eka Karsaulidze