In 2021, Monnaie de Paris inaugurated a series focused on
literary styles and authors who have marked literature history in France and
abroad. After celebrating
poetry in 2021 and theatre in 2022, Monnaie de Paris will honour Luís Vaz
de Camões, a 16th-century Portuguese poet considered one of the most
important literary figures of the Portuguese language.
The obverse
of this coin shows Luís Vaz de Camões in profile, surrounded by waves and sea.
There are many symbols referring to his maritime adventures: his ruff and his
hair turning into waves, the sailing ship on the horizon and the caravel on his
right. This caravel is decorated with the Cross of the Order of Christ, symbol
of the Portuguese nation, and an emblem made of a feather and a sword, evoking
the sixteen years the author spent at sea and traveling in the Orient. His
right eye, lost in battle in Morocco at
the age of 23, is closed.
The reverse
side is common to the entire "Art of the Quill" series. Several
iconic quotations can be read, such as Voltaire’s “Le mieux est l’ennemi du
bien", Dante Alighieri's "Lasciate ogne speranza voi
ch'intrate", William Shakespeare's "To be or not to be: that is the
question" or Nietzsche's "Was mich nicht umbringt, macht mich
stärker". A feather is engraved in the center of the coin and underneath
is the title of the series. The acronym "RF" appears in the lower
part of the coin, along with the hallmark of Joaquin Jimenez and the engraving
workshop.
