Yesterday, The Central Bank of Ireland has launched a collector coin to commemorate James Joyce, best known for his novel Ulysses published in 1922. The coin bears the Europa symbol is part of the European Silver Programme. The theme for 2013 is ‘European Writers’. The coin was designed by Mary Gregoriy with an issue limit of 10,000 units and is available to the public from Thursday 11 April 2013. The diameter of the coin is 38.61 mm and each coin weighs 28.28 grammes. The alloy used in the production of this coin is .925 Sterling Silver.
The coin obverse show one of Joyce’s most familiar traits of his appearance (his round wire-framed spectacles) with a modern stylised image of Joyce himself. Lines from Chapter 3 of Ulysses pouring from the top of his head in hand written script, depicted as a continuous stream of consciousness. The EUROPA star is seen just to the right of Joyce’s portrait with the coin’s denomination of “10 EURO” positioned just under the star. The reverse features the Irish national symbol, that of the harp which is centered in the coin along with the year of issue and the text “EIRE” on either side.
Today, many local Ireland News website reported that the coin have error in the Ulysses lines on the front of the coin. The lines are taken from the beginning of chapter three of Ulysses, where Stephen Dedalus walks alone along Sandymount Strand reflecting.
Joyce wrote: "Ineluctable modality of the visible: at least that if no more, thought through my eyes. Signatures of all things I am here to read."
However, on the Central Bank coin the surplus word "that" is inserted into the second sentence.
"Ineluctable modality of the visible: at least that if no more, thought through my eyes. Signatures of all things that I am here to read"
Technical Specifications:
Denomination: 10 €URO
Metal: .925 fine silver
Weight: 28.2 grams
Diameter: 38.6 mm.
Quality: Proof
Mintage: 10,000 pieces
Mint: Mayer’s Mint, Germany
coin design: Mary Gregoriy (Obverse)
James Joyce (1882 – 1941) considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde genre of the early 20th century. Joyce is best known for his novel Ulysses published in 1922 which was a landmark work in which the episodes of Homer's Odyssey are paralleled in an array of contrasting literary styles. Other major works are the short-story collection Dubliners published in 1914.
In 1998, the Modern Library – the American publisher of Joyce's works ranked Ulysses at Number 1, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man at Number 3, and Finnegans Wake at number 77 on their list of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century. Joyce was also named one of the 100 Most Important People of the 20th century by TIME magazine in 1999. Joyce was last seen on Irish currency when he was portrayed on the £10 banknote issued in 1993.
You can visit Central Bank of Ireland website for more information at www.centralbank.ie.
