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Collector coin “Ohan Dourian-100” has been put into circulation

The Central Bank of Armenia has put the silver collector coin “Ohan Dourian-100” into circulation starting September 13, 2022.

The collector coin dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Ohan Dourian's birth

OHAN DOURIAN (Ohanes Khachaturyan, 1922-2011) is a renowned Armenian conductor, composer, People's Artist of the Armenian SSR (1967).

Born in Jerusalem, he received musical education at the Jerusalem Conservatory, and refined his conducting skills in Paris and Vienna.

In 1957-1974, as well as 1991-1994, he was the conductor of the State Symphony Orchestra of Armenia, the artistic director of the Television and Radio Symphony Orchestra, the chief conductor of the Academic Opera and Ballet Theater named after A. Spendiaryan.

His creative activity expanded beyond Armenia. From 1962 to 1969 he directed the Gewandhaus Orchestra and Opera Orchestra in Leipzig, and from 1987 to 1990 he was the musical director of the Avignon Opera House.

Ohan Dourian performed with more than 110 orchestras of the world, including the Vienna Opera, the Berlin Philharmonic, and the Moscow Symphony Orchestras.

Maestro Dourian captivated and enchanted the audience with his "talking" hands, not using a score and a conductor's stick. He wrote the "Ode to My Homeland" (lyrics by A. Isahakyan, 1945), 4 pastorals for chamber orchestra (1952-1953), Oratorio on the compositions by Komitas (1955), 2 “Komitasakan” suites for symphony orchestra (1962, 1971), created the "Universalism" music system (1975).

Dourian was awarded "Movses Khorenatsi" Medal (1996) and "St. Mesrop Mashtots" Order (1997). In 1998, he was honored with the title of Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters of France.

Obverse: excerpt from "Universalism" by Ohan Dourian and his signature.
Reverse: portrait of Ohan Dourian and his "talking" hands.

Designer: Vardan Vardanyan.

The coin is minted in the Mint of Poland.

Technical specification

Face Value (dram)	1000
Metal, fineness	silver, 925
Weight (g)	33.60
Diameter (mm)	40.00
Quantity of issue (pcs)	200
Edge	ribbed
Quality	proof

Notice

Collector coins are made of precious metals and are issued to present to the society the national, international, historical and cultural, spiritual and other values of the country, to immortalize these values in the metal and to meet the demands of the numismatic market.

Like any other currency the collector coins have face value which makes them the means of payment. However, the face value of these coins is much lower that their cost price which includes the cost of the precious metal used for manufacturing of the coin, mintage and other expenses. Low face value and high cost price allow these coins to be considered as the items of collection and not the means of payment used in money circulation. The collector coins have also the sale price set by the Central Bank of Armenia.

As the items of collection the collector coins are issued in very restricted quantities and are not reissued.

Numismatists, collectors and all interested persons can buy the Armenian collector coins in the sales salon “Numismatist” which is in the building of the Central Bank of Armenia and is open for everyone.