The National Bank of Romania (BNR) launched a commemorative gold coin on Monday to mark the 375th anniversary of the birth of Saint Anthimos the Iberian, an emblematic cultural personality of Georgian origin who served as Metropolitan of Wallachia between 1708 and 1716.
Coin Design and Features
The obverse of the coin features a detailed depiction of the entrance door of Antim Monastery in Bucharest, along with the inscription “România” in an arc, the Romanian coat of arms, the year of issue “2025,” and the face value “100 lei.”
The reverse showcases a portrait of Saint Anthimos the Iberian, accompanied by the inscription “375 de ani de la nașterea Sfântului Ierarh Antim Ivireanul” (375 years since the birth of Saint Anthimos the Iberian).
Each gold coin is encased in a transparent metacrylate capsule and comes with a presentation brochure and a certificate of authenticity.
Limited Mintage and Availability
The National Bank of Romania will issue a maximum of 1,000 coins dedicated to Saint Anthimos.
The selling price for each coin is 4,400 lei (excluding VAT), which includes the presentation brochure and certificate of authenticity. The coins will be available for purchase at the BNR’s regional branches in Bucharest, Cluj, Constanța, Dolj, Timiș, and Iași.
The Legacy of Saint Anthimos the Iberian
The hieromartyr Anthimos the Iberian was born in Iberia (present-day Georgia) around 1650. By the 1690s, he had arrived in Wallachia, where he was entrusted with printing ecclesiastical books. He later established a printing school at Snagov Monastery. His most valuable work, Didache, consists of 28 sermons delivered during his tenure as metropolitan.
In 1708, Anthimos the Iberian was enthroned as the Metropolitan of Wallachia, continuing his publishing work. Between 1713 and 1715, he founded Antim Monastery in Bucharest. However, in 1716, following the establishment of the Phanariot regime, he was arrested and sentenced to imprisonment at Saint Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai. During his forced transfer, he was killed, and his body was thrown into the Tungia River near Adrianople.
In 2016, to commemorate 300 years since his martyrdom, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church declared the Commemorative Year of Saint Anthimos the Iberian and Church Printers. The same year, His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East consecrated the altar of Antim Monastery’s church following renovation works.
This commemorative coin pays tribute to Saint Anthimos the Iberian’s lasting legacy as a scholar, hierarch, and defender of the Orthodox faith.
Photo: Basilica.ro / Mircea Florescu
