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500 Francs Year of the Snake, wisdom, 3D
| Issuer | National Bank of Rwanda |
|---|---|
| Year | 2013 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 31.10 g |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | The reverse displays a highly detailed three-dimensional sculpted snake coiled upon itself, with its head raised and scales rendered in fine relief, finished in rose gold plating that contrasts against the proof-like silver field. The serpent rests upon a traditional Chinese decorative roundel, symbolising wisdom and good fortune associated with the Chinese Year of the Snake. The legend YEAR OF THE SNAKE is inscribed in incuse lettering arcing across the upper field, executed in a stylised font with Greek key-pattern decorative framing. The date 2013 appears in the lower field beneath the coiled figure. The overall composition is struck in high relief, giving the snake a pronounced three-dimensional appearance. |
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| Additional information |
Rwanda's collector coin program has since the early 2010s contracted heavily with the European minting trade — this piece almost certainly produced by B.H. Mayer's Kunstprägeanstalt in Munich, which struck the majority of Rwanda's elaborately finished issues during this period. The Chinese lunar series connection is purely commercial; Rwanda holds no cultural or diplomatic significance to the cycle, and the issuing relationship exists entirely for the collector market.
The rose gold finish is achieved through gold flash plating over fine silver — a technique that became nearly ubiquitous in this segment of the numismatic market around 2012–2014.