King Ferdinand and Queen Maria, history makers (central bank's governor)

King Ferdinand and Queen Maria were history makers, said on Monday, the governor of the National Bank of Romania, Mugur Isarescu, on the occasion of the opening of the exhibition dedicated to the coronation in Alba Iulia of King Ferdinand I and Queen Maria.

"We have the privilege to celebrate at the National Bank the anniversary of a century since the coronation ceremony of King Ferdinand I and Queen Maria, as sovereigns of Greater Romania. Today's hosting of this symbolic event is confirmation of an auspicious continuity. Also in this place we evoked the 150th anniversary of the birth of King Ferdinand I. And still here King Mihai I of Romania, the only one of the heads of state with decisive roles in ending the Second World War and the only one still alive at the time, was celebrated at the venerable age of 90. And one year ago we came together to honour his memory. Absolute proof of the enduring ties between the Royal House and the National Bank of Romania, whose consolidation we owe to the contribution of His Majesty King Mihai I," said Mugur Isarescu.

The BNR Governor also mentioned the fact that, although he was named Ferdinand the Loyal or Ferdinand the Unifier by his contemporaries and successors, King Ferdinand I of Romania is the only sovereign of Romania whose face was not reproduced on a coin during his lifetime. There is only the exception of paper money issued by the Ministry of Finance during the First World War.

In his turn, Prince Radu Duda declared that without King Ferdinand and Queen Maria, without Queen Elena and King Mihai, nothing in Romania's one and a half century course would have looked the same. He referred to the Romanian Constitution of 1866, promulgated by the first Romanian king in July, the year of his arrival in the country.

He also stated that in 2022, when the political and military dangers and pressures resemble those of 1918, we might read with different eyes the diary of Queen Mary that talks about the danger of the Soviet Union during the war years and after it.

The National Bank of Romania launched into numismatic circulation, starting on October 31, 2022, a gold and a silver coin dedicated to the Coronation Centennial.

Featured on the obverse of both coins is the Coronation Cathedral in Alba Iulia, represented after a period image, next to Romania's coat of arms, the arc inscription "ROMANIA", the face value "500 LEI" on the gold coin, and "10 LEI" for the silver coin, respectively, and the year of issue "2022".

Shown on the reverse of both coins are the effigies and signatures of King Ferdinand I and Queen Maria, the arched inscription "INCORONAREA DE LA ALBA IULIA (ALBA IULIA CORONATION)" and the latent inscription "100 ANI (100 YEARS)".

The gold and silver coins come packed in separate transparent methacrylate capsules accompanied by presentation leaflets which also include the issue's certificate of authenticity signed by the BNR governor and the central cashier.

The maximum mintage is 1,000 pieces for the gold coin and 5,000 pieces for the silver coin.

The selling price is 14,100.00 RON, VAT excluded, for the gold coin, and 470.00 RON, VAT excluded, for the silver coin.

Both coins dedicated to the centennial of King Ferdinand I and Queen Maria's coronation in Alba Iulia are legal tender in Romania, the BNR said.