Description

Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (1452–1519), more commonly Leonardo da Vinci or simply Leonardo, was an Italian polymath of the Renaissance, whose areas of interest included invention, painting, sculpting, architecture, science, music, mathematics, engineering, literature, anatomy, geology, astronomy, botany, writing, history, and cartography. He has been variously called the father of palaeontology, ichnology, and architecture, and is widely considered one of the greatest painters of all time. Sometimes credited with the inventions of the parachute, helicopter and tank, he epitomised the Renaissance humanist ideal.

Leonardo was, and is, renowned primarily as a painter. Among his works, the Mona Lisa is the most famous and most parodied portrait and The Last Supper the most reproduced religious painting of all time. Leonardo's drawing of the Vitruvian Man is also regarded as a cultural icon, being reproduced on items as varied as the euro coin, textbooks, and T-shirts.

The collector coin is part of the Europa Coin Programme, also known as the European Silver Programme, or the Eurostar Programme. It is an initiative dedicated to the issuance of collector-oriented legal tender coins in precious metals to celebrate European identity. The issuing authorities of EU member countries voluntarily contribute coins to the Europa Coin Programme. Multiple countries have participated in the programme, beginning in 2004. Some coins are denominated in euro, others are denominated in other currencies.

Artist: Uliana Pernazza

Obverse

Depicts a self-portrait of Leonardo da Vinci inscribed in a geometric composition with his own signature and his hand in the position of his typical lefthanded writing; on the right, the name of the designer “U. PERNAZZA”; on the left and on the right, arch-shaped “REPUBBLICA ITALIANA”.

REPUBBLICA ITALIANA
U.PERNAZZA
Leonardo

Reverse

Depicts a composition of graphic elements from Leonardo's original drawings regarding the flight; on the foreground, the face of the Vitruvian Man by Leonardo, dated around 1490; on the left, the coin's value “10 EURO”, the Eurostar logo (the special mark used on coins to indicate participation in the Europa Coin Programme) and “2006”; on the right, the mintmark “R”.

The Vitruvian Man is a drawing by Leonardo da Vinci around 1490. The drawing, which is in pen and ink on paper, depicts a man in two superimposed positions with his arms and legs apart and inscribed in a circle and square. The drawing is based on the correlations of ideal human proportions with geometry described by the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius. He described the human figure as being the principal source of proportion among the classical orders of architecture. Leonardo's drawing is traditionally named in honor of the architect.

10
EURO
R
2006

Edge
Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Non-circulating)
Material Silver
Fineness 0.925
Weight 22 g
Diameter 34 mm
Thickness -
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Italian State Mint and Polygraphic Institute (IPZS)

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