13.92 mm diameter, 1.224 g, gold 99.9%, grained edge Obverse: year 2004, Romanian coat of arms, Romania, medieval adornment representing two birds head to head, face value 100 lei	Reverse: circular inscription engolpion cantacuzin, the image of a golden engolpion, struck with gems Issuing date: 29th of November 2004 Mintage: 1000 coins

This fine coin belonging to the history of gold series features a cultic pendant from the History National Museum of Romania. The object is known as the Cantacuzinian engolpion.

The engolpion is a precious metal icon held at the collar by high hierarchs of the Orthodox Church (bishops, archbishops, metropolitans and patriarchs). The word is Greek originated, rarely used in Romanian and sounds strange also to Romanian ears.

Cantacuzino was one of the main Greek families of the Phanar, that is one of the Greek quarters of Constantinople (Istanbul). The Phanariots, members of these families, served as administrators in the civil bureaucracy and exercised great influence in the Ottoman Empire in the 18th century. Phanariotes acted as dragomans (interpreters who also functioned as foreign-affairs advisers) to the Sublime Porte and to foreign embassies. They also mingled with and turned to Romanian noblemen, (mainly) as such having become, not rarely, rulers of the Danubian principalities, Moldavia and Walachia. Their involvement in Romanian politics spread over a larger period of time, but the interval in Romanian history known as the Phanariot Period (between the 1711-1821) corresponds to the stage during which their rule was almost exclusive.

The Cantacuzinian engolpion (this being the name under which the item was entered in the evidence of the Museum) is a golden bicephalous (two headed) eagle with a cross, all struck with gems (rubies and emeralds). At the lower end three pearls are hung. On the other side the engolpion bears the icon of Virgin and Child, in enamel. On the backside of the cross lies the scene of the Saviour's Crucifixion. It is deemed that the item was made for the Ecumenical Patriarchy and came to Romania in the 17th century.

The cross bearing bicepahalous eagle is actually the coat of arms of the Ecumenical Patriarchy of Constantinople.

The History of gold series comprises:
- a set of four pieces of 500 old lei featuring the golden cache of Pietroasa (2001),
- the following 100 old lei coins with

- the Dacian helmet of Poiana-Coţofeneşti (1999, 2002 and 2003),

- the eagle from Apahida (2003),

- a Cantacuzinian engolpion (2004),
- the following 10 new lei with

- the Perşinari Hoard (2005),

- the Cucuteni-Băiceni hoard (2006),

- the rhyton of Poroina (2007),

- the Hinova hoard (2008),

- the Someşeni hoard (2010),

- the buckle of Curtea de Argeş (2011),

- the cross from Dinogetia (2011),

- the patera from Pietroasa Hoard (2012),

- the Four Gospels of Hurezi Monastery (2013),

- two ancient gold coins struck at Histria (2014),

- the crown of queen Marie (2015),

- the mace of king Ferdinand (2016),

- the crown of queen Elisabeth (2017),

- the 10 ducats 1600 coin with Michael the Brave (2018),

- the 50 lei with year 1922 coin (2019),

- some late Roman gold artifacts discovered at Carsium (2020),

- the polygonal vessels from the Pietroasa hoard (2022),

- the princely diadem of Buneşti-Avereşti (2023),

- the Apahida hoard (2024).

We are grateful to Mr P. A. Călescu that sent us the pictures you see above.