Obverse. Photo © Downies
  • 5 Rupees 2018, Seychelles, Isaac Newton
  • 5 Rupees 2018, Seychelles, Isaac Newton
Description

Sir Isaac Newton (1642–1727) was an English polymath and key figure in the Scientific Revolution. His seminal work, Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica (1687), laid the foundation for classical mechanics, introduced the laws of motion and universal gravitation, and supported the heliocentric model of the solar system. Newton also made significant contributions to optics and, alongside Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, developed calculus. He built the first practical reflecting telescope and his book Opticks (1704) advanced the understanding of light and color.

Newton's achievements extended to formulating an empirical law of cooling, calculating the speed of sound, and introducing the concept of a Newtonian fluid. He was a fellow of Trinity College, the second Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge, and a devout but unorthodox Christian. Politically aligned with the Whigs, he served as a Member of Parliament and was knighted in 1705. Newton spent his later years in London, leading the Royal Mint and the Royal Society, and his work left a lasting legacy in mathematics, physics, and beyond.

Obverse

Depicts the coat of arms of Seychelles, country name above, date below. The metal, purity and weight on both sides.

The coat of arms of the Republic of Seychelles shows a shield, in which a giant tortoise is located on grounds. On the ground there is a coco de mer palm tree. Behind it there is a sea with two islands and a sail ship to be seen. The shield is enthroned by a helmet, on which a white-tailed tropicbird is located above waves. The shield is supported by two white sailfish. Beneath the shield the motto of Seychelles is stated: "Finis Coronat Opus" (Latin for "The End Crowns the Work").

REPUBLIC OF SEYCHELLES
0.5 g AU 585
FINIS·CORONAT·OPVS
· 2018·

Reverse

Depicts a portrait of Isaac Newton, Sir Isaac Newton’s universal law of gravitation on the left, his name and denomination above, and the signature below the portrait within a beaded circle.

Newton's law of universal gravitation states that every particle attracts every other particle with a force proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers. This law unified terrestrial and astronomical gravity, earning it the title "first great unification." The equation is:

F = G * (m1 * m2) / r^2

where
F is the gravitational force,
𝑚1 and m2 are the masses,
𝑟 is the distance between their centers, and
G is the gravitational constant.

Simply put, this means that larger masses exert a stronger gravitational pull on each other, but the force decreases rapidly as the distance between them increases.

First published in Newton's Principia (1687), the law was empirically tested by Henry Cavendish in 1798. Though later refined by Einstein's theory of general relativity, Newton's law remains a highly accurate approximation for most applications.

ISAAC NEWTON
5 RUPEE
m1 F1 F2 m2
r
F1=F2=G m1 m2 / r2

Edge

5 Rupees

Isaac Newton

KM#
Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Non-circulating)
Material Gold
Fineness 0.585
Weight 0.5 g
Diameter 11 mm
Thickness -
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
MDM

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