2021 Austria €5 New Year Silver BU Coin "Janus, the God of Transitions"

• Mint: Austrian Mint
• Denomination: €5
• Quality: BU
• Limit: 50,000
• Alloy: 80% Silver
• Diameter: 28.5 mm
• Weight: 8 grams
• Comes in a printed blister pack

Additional Information

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In ancient Roman religion and myth, Janus is the god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, duality, doorways, passages, and endings. He is usually depicted as having two faces, since he looks both to the future and to the past.

The month of January gets its name from Janus. Before every undertaking the Romans would pray for his blessing. Among other things, he was the god of doors and gates and a conciliator between the past and the present. Janus also ruled over the daybreak. An opulent temple was dedicated to him in Ancient Rome, the doors of which symbolized that peace was over when they were opened at the start of each new war, enabling Romans to enter and pray for victory.

The doors of the temple of Janus can be seen in the background of the coin’s reverse, above them a clock face with a starry sky and the sun at one end. The centre foreground is dominated by an ornate key bearing the year 2021 on its bow. The two faces of Janus, one old and bearded, the other much younger, look in opposite directions on either side of it.

The obverse of the nine-sided coin shows the coats of arms of the nine provinces of Austria arranged in a circle.