Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan 10 Tenge 1993
Front: Bust of Shoqan Valikhanov Walikhanuli (1835-1865)
Back: Mount Okzhetpes in Borovoye

Shoqan Shynghysuly Walikhanov given name Muhammed Qanafiya (November 1835 — April 10, 1865) was a Kazakh scholar, ethnographer, historian and participant of The Great Game. He is regarded as the father of modern Kazakh historiography and ethnography. The Kazakh Academy of Sciences is named after him. His name is written Shoqan Walikhanov in English based on the transliteration of the Russian spelling of his name, which he used himself. The Kazakh language variant of his name was written in the Arabic script, and was similar to the Russian version. His work combined military intelligence and geographic exploration. His first successful expedition was his 1855-56 mission to the region of Issyq Köl. He was afterwards called to the capital in St. Petersburg in 1857 to report, and there he was elected to the Russian Geographical Society. Read more

Portrait of Shoqan Walikhanov made in St. Petersburg by I. A. Kardovsky

Shoqan Walikhanov on a 1965 Soviet commemorative stamp.

Information and Image Obtained From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Italy

Italy 500 Lire 1976
Front: Winged head of Mercury  a god of trade and a messenger in Roman mythology.
Back: Zeus on a geared Trojan Horse.

Mercury is a major Roman god, being one of the Dii Consentes within the ancient Roman pantheon. He is the patron god of financial gain, commerce, eloquence (and thus poetry), messages/communication (including divination), travelers, boundaries, luck, trickery and thieves; he is also the guide of souls to the underworld. He was considered the son of Maia and Jupiter in Roman mythology. His name is possibly related to the Latin word merx ("merchandise"; compare merchant, commerce, etc.), mercari (to trade), and merces (wages).In his earliest forms, he appears to have been related to the Etruscan deity Turms, both of which share characteristics with the Greek god Hermes. In Virgil's Aeneid, Mercury reminds Aeneas of his mission to found the city of Rome. In Ovid's Fasti, Mercury is assigned to escort the nymph Larunda to the underworld. Mercury, however, fell in love with Larunda and made love to her on the way. Larunda thereby became mother to two children, referred to as the Lares, invisible household gods.

Mercury has influenced the name of many things in a variety of scientific fields, such as the planet Mercury, and the element mercury. The word mercurial is commonly used to refer to something or someone erratic, volatile or unstable, derived from Mercury's swift flights from place to place. He is often depicted holding the caduceus in his left hand.

Silver statuette of Mercury, a Berthouville treasure

Mercury portrait on a bronze Semuncia (215-211 BC)

Information and Image Obtained From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia