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500 Lei History of Gold - Treasure of Pietroasa - gold pitcher
| Issuer | National Bank of Romania |
|---|---|
| Year | 2001 |
| Type | Non-circulating coin |
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| Obverse description | At center, the Romanian Coat of Arms rendered in fine detail within a circular medallion. Surrounding the central device, the national legend 'ROMANIA' is inscribed in raised Latin characters along the upper arc of the medallion border. The face value '500 LEI' appears in the lower field, with the year of issue '2001' positioned between the coat of arms and the denomination. |
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| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
The Treasure of Pietroasa — also called the "Hen and Chickens" hoard — was unearthed in 1837 near Buzău by two quarrymen who promptly began breaking the pieces apart to sell separately, destroying several items before authorities intervened. What survived are 12 Gothic goldwork pieces dating to the 4th or 5th century AD, now held at the National History Museum in Bucharest. The pitcher reproduced on this coin is among the most intact of those surviving objects.
Romania issued this piece as part of a broader "History of Gold" series documenting nationally significant gold artifacts — a program that leaned heavily on archaeological heritage at a moment when the post-communist state was actively constructing a public cultural identity.