Coin Austria Hallstatt White Gold - Salt mines - 20 Euros Silver BE 2024

20 Euros AUSTRIA 2024

Theme : Hallstatt white gold - salt mines

Quality : BE (Belle Epreuve).
Edition : 30 000 copies.
Silver 925 ‰ - 22 42 g (2/3 Oz) - Ø 34 mm.
Supplied in a case with certificate.

Salt Mining, the first of three pieces in The White Gold of Hallstatt series, takes us back to a time thousands of years ago, before the Salzkammergut region of central Austria became a popular tourist destination and mecca for nature lovers. Astonishing archaeological discoveries have shown that prehistoric Hallstatt was already flourishing, supplying half of Central Europe with the essential substance of salt. Simple and modest in appearance, prehistoric Hallstatt was a highly advanced mining community.

At the southern end of the Salzkammergut, the postcard-perfect village of Hallstatt lies on the shore of the lake of the same name. The region's mountains are rich in salt, and the Hallstatt salt mine has been in operation since prehistoric times, making it the oldest salt mine in the world. During the Iron Age, salt mining and trade ensured the prosperity of the people of Hallstatt and the surrounding area, who gave their name to the Hallstatt culture, the archaeological culture associated with the peoples of the early Iron Age in Europe.

By 1200 BC, the tools produced for extracting salt in Hallstatt were highly sophisticated, and cultural exchanges with other peoples led to the import of exotic materials such as amber, glass, coral and ivory from as far afield as Africa and Asia. In the mines, the salt preserved organic materials such as textiles, wood and leather, and objects decorated in styles widely used in Europe survived in good condition.

The obverse of the Salt Mining coin depicts a pair of bronze picks found in the prehistoric salt mines of Hallstatt. Rocks and stones symbolising the mines are depicted around the axes, and an ornamental motif from the Hallstatt culture appears in the background. In the style of a collage, the reverse of the coin shows a scene in which salt is extracted and transported. The figures are inspired by artistic representations found on Iron Age bronze vessels, in particular buckets (situlae).

The salt mines provide a vivid picture of the prehistoric beginnings of a unique cultural and industrial landscape.

925 Silver
Ø 34.00mm, Weight 22.42g
BE ( belle épreuve)
Austria