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1 Apsar The Cathedral of St. Andrew, the 'First-called' Apostle, in Pitsunda
| Issuer | Bank of Abkhazia |
|---|---|
| Year | 2016 |
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| Value | 1 Apsar |
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| Obverse lettering | 1 ҦСАРК ММД АҦСНЫ АБАНК 2016 (Translation: 1 Apsar MMD The Bank of Abkhazia) |
| Reverse description | The reverse presents a detailed depiction of the early medieval Cathedral of St. Andrew the First-Called in Pitsunda (Бзыбский храм), shown in three-quarter perspective view with its characteristic cylindrical drum, domed roof, and apsidal east end rendered in fine relief. To the left of the cathedral, a tall processional cross on a staff is depicted; to the right, a bishop's crown or mitre is shown, referencing the ecclesiastical significance of the site. The surrounding rocky or natural terrain is suggested along the lower field. The Abkhazian Cyrillic legend 'АЦҚЬА АНДРЕИ АҦХЬАНАҦХЬАҨ ИЗКУ ПИЦУНДАТӘИ АНЫХА' (The Cathedral of St. Andrew the First-Called in Pitsunda) arcs around the upper periphery. In the lower exergue, the inscription 'IX ШШ.' (IX century) indicates the historical period of the cathedral's construction. |
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| Additional information |
Abkhazia's coin program occupies an unusual position in numismatics — the territory declared independence from Georgia in 1999, but remains unrecognized by the vast majority of the international community, with Russia being its principal backer. The Bank of Abkhazia issues currency that functions domestically alongside the Russian ruble, giving these pieces a semi-official character that standard catalog references struggle to classify cleanly.
The Pitsunda cathedral itself dates to the tenth century and survived Soviet-era neglect largely intact — it was converted into a concert hall during the USSR period, a fate that paradoxically preserved the structure.