Riksbank issues commemorative coin minted in gold and silver to mark 100th anniversary of Dag Hammarskjöld's birth

Date 07/09/2005

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Dag Hammarskjöld, the Riksbank is issuing a 200-kronor commemorative coin in silver and a 2,000-kronor commemorative coin in gold. The coins are being issued in a limited edition of 35,000 for the silver coin and 5,000 for the gold coin. The prices of the coins have been set at SEK 250 and SEK 2,500, respectively.

The obverse side of the coin carries a portrait of Dag Hammarskjöld in profile, with "DAG HAMMARSKJÖLD" above and the dates "1905 - 2005" below.

 
The reverse of the coin carries a design of stylised flames and the legend "VÅR VÄG ÄR GLÖD OCH ICKE ASKA" (roughly: our path is through burning embers and not ashes) which is a text from Dag Hammarskjöld’s interpretation of "Chronique" by the French author and winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature Saint-John Perse.

 
The artist is Ernst Nordin, who is a renowned artist in the fields of coins, medallions and sculpture. The coins are being minted by Nordic Coin AB Svenska myntverket in Eskilstuna.

 
Further information and pictures of the coins are available on the Riksbank's website, www.riksbank.se.

The coins will go on sale on 7 September 2005. In keeping with tradition, the Riksbank will present the coins to the Royal Coin Cabinet, which is Sweden's national museum of economy.

 
The commemorative coins will be presented by Johan Gernandt, Vice Chairman of the Riksbank's General Council, at a ceremony to be held at the Riksbank at 3 p.m. The ceremony will be held in connection with a seminar to commemorate Dag Hammarskjöld as an economist and his time at the Riksbank. Also taking part in the ceremony will be Riksbank Governor Lars Heikensten, Professor Assar Lindbeck and actress Lena Endre, who will present some of Hammarskjöld’s texts. Press cards must be shown.

The coins can be ordered from: Nordic Coin AB Svenska myntverket's website www.myntverket.se, telephone +46 16 42 81 00, or via its sales company Myntverket Moneta on telephone +46 40 602 82 60. The coins can also be purchased in the Royal Coin Cabinet's shop at Slottsbacken 6.