Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) 1 Dram 2004

History

1 Dram 2004, KM# 9, Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), Saint Gregory the Illuminator

Obverse. Photo © NumisCorner.com

Description

Nagorno-Karabakh is a landlocked region in the South Caucasus, lying between Lower Karabakh and Zangezur and covering the southeastern range of the Lesser Caucasus mountains. The region is mostly mountainous and forested.

Nagorno-Karabakh is a disputed territory, internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, but most of the region is governed by the Republic of Artsakh (formerly named Nagorno-Karabakh Republic), a de facto independent state with Armenian ethnic majority established on the basis of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. Azerbaijan has not exercised political authority over the region since the advent of the Karabakh movement in 1988.

Obverse	Animal (fish, bird, mammal etc.) Eagle Coat of arms Artsakh Flag Artsakh Coat of arms of the Republic of Artsakh. The emblem of the Republic of Artsakh consists of an eagle wearing an ornamented crown. On the chest of the eagle is a shield with a panorama of a mountain range and under it a vertically set Flag of Artsakh. Over this are the two stone heads of "Granny and Gramps" (Տատիկ և Պապիկ, Tatik yev Papik) from the We Are Our Mountains monument in Stepanakert, the capital of Artsakh. The eagle's feet clutch various agricultural products including wheat and grapes. The outer rim is made up of a golden circular ribbon bearing inscription "Լեռնային Ղարաբաղի Հանրապետություն-Արցախ" ("Artsakh Republic of Mountainous Karabakh") in Eastern Armenian. In the eagle's talons are various agricultural products including wheat and grapes. NAGORNO-KARABAKH ԼԵՌՆԱՅԻՆ ՂԱՐԱԲԱՂԻ ՀԱՆՐԱՊԵՏՈՒԹՅՈՒՆ ԱՐՑԱԽ REPUBLIC
Reverse	Person (religious figure) Gregory the Illuminator Depicts Saint Gregory the Illuminator facing, value on the right and date below. Saint Gregory the Illuminator (Grigor Lusavorich, c. 257 – c. 331) is the patron saint and first official head of the Armenian Apostolic Church. He was a religious leader who is credited with converting Armenia from paganism to Christianity in 301. Armenia thus became the first nation to adopt Christianity as its official religion. SAINT GREGORY 1 DRAM 2004
Edge	Plain