13.92 mm diameter, 1.224 g, 90% gold, reeded edge Obverse: ROMANIA, year 2017, coat of arms of Romania, face value 10 LEI, the golden crown of queen Elisabeth of Romania	Reverse: queen Elisabeth and inscription REGINA  ELISABETA  A  ROMANIEI meaning QUEEN  ELISABETH  OF  ROMANIA Issuing date: 18th of December 2017 Mintage: 500 coins

About Queen Elisabeth of Romania

Elisabeth of Wied (1843-1916) married prince Carol (Charles) in 1869, roughly three years after his ascendance to the throne of Romania.

She was involved, naturally for a wife of a head of state, in charity and patronage activities. She wrote literature, as a writer publishing under the pseudonym Carmen Sylva. Was burried at Curtea de Argeş, in the royal necropolis.

About the Crown of Queen Elisabeth of Romania

Information about Queen Elizabeth's crown can be found in [1]: the piece is 150 mm high, 148 mm in diameter at the base, 205 mm in maximum diameter, and weighs 892 g. The crown was made in 1881 in Romania by the Bucharest jeweler J. Resch. It is a closed crown with eight arms (rays) that join at the top in the middle to support a cruciger globe. The cross on the globe has the appearance of the "Crossing of the Danube" cross [2] (received by all soldiers and civilians who, during the Independence War of 1877-1878, took part in actions across the Danube). The crown is decorated with golden pearls and vegetal motifs, also in gold. The crown's lining is made of purple velvet [2].

The presentation brochure [2] accompanying the coin provides some interesting information about the crown and the ceremonies of May 10, 1881, when the Romanian sovereigns received their crowns. Queen Elizabeth's crown is quite similar to the steel crown of King Carol I, being smaller and much more ornate. It was made of 75% pure gold. Queen Elizabeth's crown was classified by the Romanian state as a cultural heritage asset, in the treasure category, only in 2003 [2].

King Carol I did not agree with the idea of an official coronation ceremony. In [2] two significant fragments in this regard are given, from the king's correspondence with his brother, Leopold of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1835-1905). In March 1881 Carol wrote: "Whether there will be a coronation, anointing or who knows what other ceremony, that has not yet been decided. The Chambers insist on the first, but I will oppose it vigorously, because if it would certainly make a deep impression here, it would make us look ridiculous abroad". By April the king's position had already triumphed: "[...] there will be neither a coronation nor an anointing. However, I will be given a crown, which will be consecrated in the church and which was made from a captured cannon, as well as a scepter in the shape of a battle axe [...]".

The one who offered the steel crown to King Carol I was Dimitrie Ghica, the president of the Senate. The gold crown was given to Queen Elizabeth by C.A. Rosetti [3]: "[...] the president of the Chamber, took a few steps towards the queen and, setting one knee on the ground, said: Lady, the nation, looking at you, sees oneself beautiful. Then, kissing the queen's hand, he offered her the crown".

Above is a votive painting from the princely Church of Saint Nicholas in Iaşi, Romania, depicting King Carol I (founder of the church at the 1904 restoration) with Queen Elisabeth, Crown Prince Ferdinand (future king Ferdinand), Crown Princess Maria (future queen Marie), and three children, including Prince Carol (future King Carol II) and his sister, Princess Elisabeth. Princess Maria, depicted as taller than Prince Carol, can only be Maria (1870-1874), daughter of King Carol and Queen Elisabeth, a child who died of scarlet fever at a very young age.

Legend above the king reads "CAROL I DOMN ŞI REGE" [CAROL I PRINCE AND KING, hinting at the initial title of PRINCE and later elevation as KING - in 1881] and above the queen "REGINA ELISAVETA" [QUEEN ELISABETH, in contemporary vernacular]. The book held by the queen is a hint at her being a poetess and a phantasy writer.

Below are some charity stamps from 1906 that depict Queen Elizabeth herself as a spinner, weaver, or sister of charity. The stamps also feature quotes from Queen Elizabeth's words and her signature.

Stamp from the Torcătoarea (Spinner) series, depicting Queen Elisabeth spinning, dressed in folk costume. This stamp was sold with a surcharge of 10 bani for the benefit of the Torcătoarea society. The surcharge is not mentioned on the stamp. On the stamp appears the inscription "Dumnezeu să ne ducă mâna! Elisaveta" [May God carry our hand!] appears on the stamp, reproducing the queen's handwriting.

Stamp from the Ţesătoarea (Weaver) series, depicting Queen Elisaveta weaving, dressed in folk costume. This stamp was sold with a surcharge of 7 bani for the benefit of the Ţesătoarea (Weaver) society. The surcharge is not mentioned on the stamp. On the stamp appears the inscription "Viitorul ţărei-l ţese femea Elisaveta" [The future of the country is woven by the woman] appears on the stamp, reproducing the queen's handwriting.

Stamp from the Îngeri (Angels) series bearing the signature of Queen Elisabeth. This stamp was sold with a surcharge of 10 bani for the benefit of the Înger (Angel) weaving society. The surcharge is not mentioned on the stamp. The stamp bears the inscription "Gloria autem, et honor, et pax omni operanti bonum", a Latin quotation from the Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Romans (Romans 2:10), from the Vulgate, possibly a favorite passage of Queen Elizabeth - given that her signature appears right below the passage. The Romanian translation, according to the Bartolomeu Anania Bible, is "but glory, honor and peace to everyone who does good".

Stamp from the Mama răniţilor (Mother of the Wounded) series, depicting Queen Elizabeth in the attire of a charity nurse, caring for a wounded man. It is obviously a reference to the year 1877 and to the War of Independence of Romania from 1877-1878. This stamp was sold with a surcharge - the value of which is not specified by Catalogul mărcilor poştale româneşti 1974 (the 1974 Romanian Postage Stamps Catalogue) - for the benefit of the Policlinica social welfare society. Obviously, the surcharge is not mentioned on the stamp. At the bottom of the stamp inscription "Rana legată şi lacrămile şterse. Elisaveta" (Wound bound and tears wiped away. Elizabeth) appears, reproducing the Queen's handwriting.

Below are some photos from 2015 of the statue of Queen Elizabeth in Constanţa.

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).

References

1. Burda Ş., Tezaure de aur din România. Editura Meridiane, Bucureşti, 1979.

2. Dima M., Istoria aurului - Coroana reginei Elisabeta a României. Direcţia Emisiune, Tezaur şi Casierie, Imprimeria Băncii Naţionale a României, Bucureşti, 1917.

3. Bacalbaşa C., Bucureştii de altădată (1878-1884). Editura Eminescu, Bucureşti, 1993.