Collector coins of the Republic of Armenia - 2025
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Dear reader,
The annual journal “Collector Coins of the Republic of Armenia–2025” presents a selection of collector coins, issued by the Central Bank of Armenia in 2025, and is dedicated to the anniversaries of prominent Armenian figures.
As the institution vested with the exclusive right to issue collector coins, the Central Bank of Armenia considers it among its key missions to reflect, through coinage, Armenia’s historical, cultural, and spiritual values, as well as significant national and international events. In doing so, collector coins serve as a distinctive means of preserving and promoting Armenia’s heritage, while contributing to the ongoing development of Armenian numismatic traditions.
Among the memorable events in Armenian cultural life in 2025 were those marking the 150th birth anniversary of the great poet, prose writer, and public figure Avetik Isahakyan. On this occasion, the Central Bank of Armenia issued the “Avetik Isahakyan-150” collector coin as a tribute to the Master’s invaluable literary heritage, which continues to inspire generations. The obverse of the collector coin depicts Mount Aragats alongside a quatrain from the poet’s well-known work “To Aragats”, while the reverse features a portrait of Avetik Isahakyan.
The year also marked the centenary of the birth of the renowned American-Armenian businessman and philanthropist Gerard L. Cafesjian. To commemorate this occasion, the Central Bank of Armenia issued the “Gerard L. Cafesjian–100” collector coin as a symbol of gratitude and appreciation for his patriotic activities and the cultural legacy he left behind. The obverse of the coin depicts a monument symbolizing the collective image of the Armenian philanthropist, and the reverse features the carousel in Como Park, Minnesota, USA, restored at Cafesjian’s initiative – a symbol of the universal and boundless nature of his charity.
The 100th birth anniversary of the prominent Armenian film director and screenwriter Henrik Malyan was likewise commemorated with the issuance of a dedicated coin. The “Henrik Malyan-100” collector coin occupies a distinctive place among the coins dedicated to prominent Armenian film directors, complementing the issues devoted to the anniversaries of Sergey Parajanov, Hamo Beknazaryan, and Henry Verneuil. On the occasion of the anniversary, the “Henrik Malyan-100” collector coin was presented at a special event organized by the Cinema Foundation of Armenia at the Henrik Malyan Film Actor Theater. It depicts the great master of cinema himself, along with scenes from his acclaimed films “Triangle” and “Piece of Sky”.
In keeping with tradition, in 2025, the Central Bank of the Republic of Armenia participated in the 19th International Numismatic Contest “Coin Constellation-2025” held in the Russian Federation, presenting issues from the previous year. More than two dozen organizations took part in the contest, with a total of 135 outstanding entries. The Central Bank of Armenia recorded two notable achievements in the contest: the gold collector coin “100th Birth Anniversary of Sergey Parajanov” was recognized as the winner in the “Gold Coin of the Year” category, and the gold collector coin “100th Birth Anniversary of Charles Aznavour” was awarded the second place in the “Coin of the Year” category.
We trust that the 2025 issues of the Central Bank of Armenia will attract the continued interest of both the Armenian and international numismatic community and will be met with high appreciation.
Martin Galstyan
Governor of the Central Bank of the Republic of Armenia