In compliance with the provisions of Law No. 312/2004 - The Statute of the National Bank of Romania, the National Bank of Romania is to launch, starting with 4 September 2006, a gold coin with face value of 500 lei, dedicated to the 350th anniversary since the building of the Patriarchal Cathedral.
Characteristics of the coin:
- metal: gold;
- shape: round;
- fineness: 999/1000;
- quality: proof;
- weight: 31.103 g;
- diameter: 35 mm;
- edge: smooth.
Obverse: in the middle, a reproduction of the icon featuring the Holy Emperor Constantine and Empress Helena on the iconostasis of the Cathedral; in the lower part, Romania's coat of arms, the face value - 500 LEI - on the left and the circular inscription "ROMANIA" on the right. By the images of the two Saints, the text "SF-IMP-C-TIN" on the left and "SI ELENA" on the right.
Reverse: in the middle, the image of the Cathedral and the coat of arms of the Romanian Patriarchate; on the outer part, the circular text "CATEDRALA PATRIARHALA" and the anniversary years "1656" and "2006" framing the coat of arms.
Each gold coin is embedded in a transparent plastic capsule and is accompanied by an authentication certificate (in Romanian and English) bearing the signatures of both the Governor and the Head Cashier, as well as by a leaflet.
The issue consists of 250 coins. The selling price, VAT excluded, is lei 2,530 and does not include the price of the case.
The gold coins dedicated to the 350th anniversary since the building of the Patriarchal Cathedral are legal tender in Romania.
The design of the gold coins is protected by registration with the Romanian State Office for Inventions and Trademarks. Forgery or counterfeiting of these coins is an infringement of the law and shall be penalised accordingly.
The coins in the issue celebrating 350 years since the building of the Patriarchal Cathedral are put into circulation through the branches of the National Bank of Romania in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Iaşi, and Timişoara.