2016 1 oz Armenian Silver Noah’s Ark Coin

The official sovereign silver coin of Armenia, this coin’s brilliant design features speak to the heritage and history of the tiny Eastern European nation.

Coin Highlights:

• Contains 1 troy oz of .999 pure silver.
• Bears a face value of 500 Drams backed by the government of Armenia.
• Features a depiction of Noah’s Ark on the reverse.
• Armenia’s coat of arms graces the obverse.

People from across the Christian world are familiar with the story of Noah and the great flood God unleashed upon the Earth, as told in the Book of Genesis. God came to Noah offering his family a chance at salvation if they constructed a massive ark to save themselves and two of every animal in the world.

The story has real connections in Armenia, where the resting place of Noah’s Ark, Mount Ararat, was historically located. The tiny nation saw its claims to Mount Ararat erased at the end of World War I as the Soviet Union and Turkey redrew borders following the fall of the Ottoman Empire. The border between Armenia and Turkey which had formerly gone over the mountain itself, was redrawn to include the mountain within Turkish lands.

On the obverse side of the 2016 1 oz Armenian Silver Noah’s Ark coin is the national emblem for the nation of Armenia, along with the engraving of the phrase “Republic of Armenia” in both English and Armenian. The coin’s face value, fineness, metal content, and year of minting are also included on this side.

The reverse bears the image of Noah’s Ark as it floats on the flood waters. In the background, the sun rises over the cliffs of Mount Ararat, while a lone dove flies into the foreground with an olive branch in its beak, signaling that it is now safe to find land as the flood subsides.

Armenian Silver Noah’s Ark coins are struck at Germany’s Geiger Edelmetalle Mint, one of the nation’s four minting facilities.