RA Gold - 1998 - 10,000 dram - 1700th Anniversary of Christian Armenia, Ani

RA Gold Commemorative - 3

Obverse: Depiction of the Church of St. Grigor, built by the Abughamrents family in the ancient city of Ani. The inscription around the edge includes "301-2001" to mark the 1700th anniversary of Armenia adopting Christianity as the state religion. The Armenian inscription reads: "ԿՐԻՍՏՈՆԵԱՅ ՀԱՅԱՍՏԱՆ" ("Christian Armenia"), with the word "ANI" and the number "1700" prominently displayed below the church.

Reverse: Coat of Arms of the Republic of Armenia, featuring an eagle and a lion supporting a shield with symbols representing Armenian heritage. Below the coat of arms is the denomination "10000" with "ԴՐԱՄ" ("dram") underneath, and the year of issue "1998". The Armenian inscription around the upper edge reads: "ՀԱՅԱՍՏԱՆԻ ՀԱՆՐԱՊԵՏՈՒԹՅՈՒՆ" ("Republic of Armenia").

Denomination: 10,000 dram
Metal: Gold 900
Weight: 8.60 g
Diameter: 22 mm
Mintage: 1,700 pcs
Edge: Plain, numbered
Strike Quality: Proof
Designer: Hrachya Aslanyan
Mint: Royal Dutch Mint

This commemorative coin marks the 1700th anniversary of Armenia's adoption of Christianity as the state religion in 301 AD, making Armenia the first nation to do so. The reverse features the Church of St. Grigor in Ani, constructed by the Abughamrents family. Ani, once a flourishing medieval Armenian city, was known as the "City of 1,001 Churches" due to its many remarkable architectural monuments. The Church of St. Grigor is one of the key structures symbolizing Armenia's early Christian heritage, illustrating the profound role that Christianity played in shaping Armenian culture and national identity. This coin honors the rich history of Armenian Christianity and its architectural legacy.