2008 Niue Amber Route Gold Proof Coin

Niue Island 5 Dollars 2008 Gold Proof Kaliningrad

The “Amber Route” is a very popular series of beautiful collector coins struck by the Mint of Poland for the issuer, Niue Island. The characteristic feature of this series is an amber insertion and a small mintage. The coins pay tribute to the main cities which lay along this ancient route of commercial contacts. The route connected the European states at the Mediterranean Sea and the lands on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea, and was named after the major object of travelers’ desire, amber. The first trips to acquire this old subject of trade exchange were organized as early as the 5th century.

The exact route was never explicitly established, however, it is assumed that it went through Kaliningrad, Gdańsk, Wrocław, Stare Hradisko, Szombathely, Carnuntum and Aquileia.

Obverse:
In the centre, a stylized image of a cart, in which ambers were carried by the Romans from Baltic Sea to Italy. Behind the cart, on the left, a stylized image of a head of the Roman. On the background, a stylized image of a map with Baltic Sea outline. At the top, along the edge, a semicircular inscription:

AMBER ROUTE

. At the bottom, a semicircular inscription: NIUEISLAND; above it, a nominal value: 5 Dollars. An image of the Queen Elizabeth II with the Mint’s mark (m/w), on the left of the cart. On the right of the Queen’s head, an inscription: ELIZABETH II; under it, a year of issue: 2009.

Reverse:
In the centre, an inscription: KALININGRAD (name of the Russian city – point of the

Amber Route

). Under the inscription, a stylized images of pugios – small daggers used by Romans. Above the inscription, a stylized image of the KönigsbergCastle; next to the castle, on the right, a stylized image of a coin, which the ambers were paid for in those times. Under the coin, on the right, an amber insert. At the bottom, along the edge, a semicircular inscription in Polish: SZLAK BURSZTYNOWY (

Amber Route

).

Kaliningrad is the first coin of the collector series “

Amber Route

”. The coins, both silver and golden have the same design and are devoted to the city and its history. The city has been established by the Teutonic Knights in honor of a Czech king Ottokar II of Bohemia who led the Teutonic army during their expedition against Prussia. The name of the city has changed many times and till June 4th, 1946 it was called Königsberg (from German). Then the name was changed to the Russian Калининград (Kaliningrad). Even before all these changes the city used to be called: in Latin – Regiomontium, in Czech – Královec, in Lithuanian – Karaliaučius, in Prussian – Kunnegsgarbs and in Polish – Królewiec since the 16th, century and till the 16th, century – Królówgród. At present it is a city on the territory of Russia, located at the estuary of Pregolya at the Baltic Sea in a historical land Sambia. The city is the capital of the Kaliningrad Oblast – a Russian enclave having its borders with Poland and Lithuania. The beauty of the city which was formed by difficult historical events is very popular among tourists, especially from Germany, who visit first of all the city’s fortifications: the towers of Wrangel (Врангеля) and Der Dohna (Дер Дона), and the AmberMuseum (Музей янтаря).