Abkhazian apsar

Abkhazian apsar
Аԥсар (Abkhaz)
File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2008 Ardzinba a.jpg	File:Abkhazia 50 apsar Au 2008 Aiaaira b.jpg
10 apsars (obverse)	50 apsars (reverse)
ISO 4217
Code	none
Unit
Plural	apsark (аԥсарк)
Denominations
Banknotes	10, 25, 100, 500 apsark
Coins	1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 20, 25, 50, 100 apsark
Demographics
User(s)	File:Flag of the Republic of Abkhazia.svg Abkhazia (alongside Russian ruble)
Issuance
Central bank	National Bank of the Republic of Abkhazia
Website	www.nb-ra.org
Printer	Goznak
Mint	Moscow Mint
Website	www.mmint.ru
Valuation
Pegged with	аҧ 1 = ₽ 10

The apsar (Abkhaz: аԥсар, āpsār) is a currency of Abkhazia. So far, coins in denominations of 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 20, 25, 50, and 100 apsars and banknotes in denominations of 10, 25, 100, and 500 apsars have been issued. While the coins and banknotes are legal tender in the Republic of Abkhazia, their usage is very limited, and they are mostly made for collectors. In Abkhazia, the Russian ruble is used in practice. The first apsar coins were introduced in 2008. The name derives from the Apsars, a tribe mentioned in The Georgian Chronicles who inhabited the region in the Middle Ages and who are believed to be the ancestors of the Abkhaz people.^[1]^[2] The Bank of Abkhazia is responsible for the apsar coins, and has so far issued two series: "Outstanding personalities of Abkhazia" (6 coins) and "The patriotic war of the Abkhaz nation 1992–1993" (2 coins). People who have appeared on coins include:

Vladislav Ardzinba, 1st president of Abkhazia (1994–2005)
Fazil Iskander, writer
Dmitry Gulia, writer
Samson Chanba, writer and statesman
Bagrat Shinkuba, writer and politician
Aleksandr Chachba, artist

10 and 100 apsar coins are made of silver; 25 and 50 apsar coins are made of gold. The number of coins produced is low: 2,000 silver coins are minted and 1,000 gold coins.^[3]

Issues

2008 commemorative coins of the 15th anniversary of the Abkhazian victory in the 1992–93 war

File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2008 Ardzinba a.jpg File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2008 Ardzinba b.jpg	Vladislav Ardzinba and the Abkhazian state
	Designer: B. R. Japua, V. M. Erokhin		Mint: Moscow Mint
	Value: 10 apsars	Alloy: Ag 925	Quantity: 2,000	Quality: Proof-like
	Issued: 26 September 2008	Diameter: 39.0 mm	Thickness: 3,30 ± 0,35 mm	Weight: 33,94 ± 0,31 g
File:Abkhazia 50 apsar Au 2008 Ardzinba a.jpg File:Abkhazia 50 apsar Au 2008 Ardzinba b.jpg	Vladislav Ardzinba and the Abkhazian state
	Designers: B. R. Japua, V. M. Erokhin		Mint: Moscow Mint
	Value: 50 apsars	Alloy: Au 999	Quantity: 1,000	Quality: Proof-like
	Issued: 26 September 2008	Diameter: 39.0 mm	Thickness: 1,7 ± 0,2 mm	Weight: 15,72 ± 0,15 g
File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2008 Aiaaira a.jpg File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2008 Aiaaira b.jpg	Victory
	Designer: B. R. Japua, V. M. Erokhin		Mint: Moscow Mint
	Value: 10 apsars	Alloy: Ag 925, Au 999	Quantity: 2,000	Quality: Proof-like, Antiproof
	Issued: 26 September 2008	Diameter: 39.0 mm	Thickness: 3,30 ± 0,35 mm	Weight: 33,94 ± 0,31 g
File:Abkhazia 50 apsar Au 2008 Aiaaira a.jpg File:Abkhazia 50 apsar Au 2008 Aiaaira b.jpg	Victory
	Designers: B. R. Japua, V. M. Erokhin		Mint: Moscow Mint
	Value: 50 apsars	Alloy: Au 999	Quantity: 1,000	Quality: Proof-like, Antiproof
	Issued: 26 September 2008	Diameter: 39.0 mm	Thickness: 1,7 ± 0,2 mm	Weight: 15,72 ± 0,15 g

2009

Commemorative coins of Abkhazian writers

File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2009 commemorative a.jpg File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2009 Iskander b.jpg	(80th birthday of) Fazil Iskander
	Designer: B. R. Japua		Mint: Moscow Mint
	Value: 10 apsars	Alloy: Ag 925	Quantity: 2,000	Quality: Proof-like
	Issued: 6 May 2009	Diameter: 39.0 mm	Thickness: 3,30 ± 0,35 mm	Weight: 33,94 ± 0,31 g
File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2009 commemorative a.jpg File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2009 Gulia b.jpg	Dmitry Gulia
	Designers: T. D. Kaitan, V. M. Erokhin		Mint: Moscow Mint
	Value: 10 apsars	Alloy: Ag 925	Quantity: 1,000	Quality: Proof-like
	Issued: 29 June 2009	Diameter: 39.0 mm	Thickness: 3,30 ± 0,35 mm	Weight: 33,94 ± 0,31 g
File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2009 commemorative a.jpg File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2009 Chanba b.jpg	Samson Chanba
	Designers: B. R. Japua, V. M. Erokhin		Mint: Moscow Mint
	Value: 10 apsars	Alloy: Ag 925	Quantity: 1,000	Quality: Proof-like
	Issued: 29 June 2009	Diameter: 39.0 mm	Thickness: 3,30 ± 0,35 mm	Weight: 33,94 ± 0,31 g
File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2009 commemorative a.jpg File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2009 Shinkuba b.jpg	Bagrat Shinkuba
	Designers: R. T. Gablia, V. M. Erokhin		Mint: Moscow Mint
	Value: 10 apsars	Alloy: Ag 925	Quantity: 1,000	Quality: Proof-like
	Issued: 29 June 2009	Diameter: 39.0 mm	Thickness: 3,30 ± 0,35 mm	Weight: 33,94 ± 0,31 g
File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2009 commemorative a.jpg File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2009 Chachba b.jpg	Aleksandr Chachba
	Designers: B. R. Japua		Mint: Moscow Mint
	Value: 10 apsars	Alloy: Ag 925	Quantity: 1,000	Quality: Proof-like
	Issued: 16 November 2009	Diameter: 39.0 mm	Thickness: 3,30 ± 0,35 mm	Weight: 33,94 ± 0,31 g

Commemorative Nart coin

File:Abkhazia 25 apsar Au 2009 Nart a.jpg File:Abkhazia 25 apsar Au 2009 Nart b.jpg	The Narts
	Designers: R. T. Gablia, V. M. Erokhin		Mint: Moscow Mint
	Value: 25 apsars	Alloy: Au 999	Quantity: 1,000	Quality: Uncirculated
	Issued: 16 November 2009	Diameter: 22.6 mm	Thickness:	Weight:

2010

Commemorative Coins of 2010 Historic Monuments of Abkhazia

File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2010 commemorative a.pngFile:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2010 Bedia Cathedral b.png	Bediysky Cathedral of St Mary
	Designers: Japua B.R		Mint: Moscow Mint
	Value: 10 apsars	Alloy:	Quantity:	Quality:
	Issued: 6 December 2010	Diameter: 39.0 mm	Thickness: 2.0 mm	Weight: 33.94
File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2010 commemorative a.pngFile:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2010 New Athos Monastery b.png	Church of St. Simon the Canaanite
	Designers: Japua B.R		Mint: Moscow Mint
	Value: 10 apsars	Alloy:	Quantity:	Quality:
	Issued: 6 December 2010	Diameter: 39.0 mm	Thickness: 3.3 mm	Weight: 33.94
File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2010 commemorative a.pngFile:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2010 Pitsunda Cathedral b.png	Pitsundsky Cathedral of St. Andrew
	Designers: Japua B.R		Mint: Moscow Mint
	Value: 10 apsars	Alloy:	Quantity:	Quality:
	Issued: 6 December 2010	Diameter: 39.0 mm	Thickness: 3.3 mm	Weight: 33.94
File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2010 commemorative a.pngFile:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2010 Mokvi Cathedral b.png	Mykusky Assumption Cathedral
	Designers: Japua B.R		Mint: Moscow Mint
	Value: 10 apsars	Alloy:	Quantity:	Quality:
	Issued: 6 December 2010	Diameter: 39.0 mm	Thickness: 3.3 mm	Weight: 33.94
File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2010 commemorative a.pngFile:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2010 Lykhny Church b.png	Lyhnensky Assumption Church
	Designers: Japua B.R		Mint: Moscow Mint
	Value: 10 apsars	Alloy:	Quantity:	Quality:
	Issued: 6 December 2010	Diameter: 39.0 mm	Thickness: 3.3 mm	Weight: 33.94
File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2010 commemorative a.pngFile:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2010 Elyr Church b.png	Elyrsky Church of St. George
	Designers: Japua B.R		Mint: Moscow Mint
	Value: 10 apsars	Alloy:	Quantity:	Quality:
	Issued: 6 December 2010	Diameter: 39.0 mm	Thickness: 3.3 mm	Weight: 33.94
File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2010 commemorative a.pngFile:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2010 Dranda Cathedral b.png	Drandsky Assumption Cathedral
	Designers: Japua B.R		Mint: Moscow Mint
	Value: 10 apsars	Alloy:	Quantity:	Quality:
	Issued: 6 December 2010	Diameter: 39.0 mm	Thickness: 3.3 mm	Weight: 33.94

2011

Commemorative Coin of 2011 World Domino Championship

File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2011 Domino a.jpg File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2011 Domino b.jpg	World Domino Championships
	Designers: Japua B.R.		Mint: Saint Petersburg Mint
	Value: 10 apsars	Alloy: Au 925	Quantity: Uncirculated	Quality: Uncirculated
	Issued: 12 September 2011	Diameter: 39.0 mm	Thickness:	Weight:

Commemorative Coins of 2011 Historic Monuments of Abkhazia

File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2011 commemorative a.pngFile:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2011 New Athos Monastery b.png	Church of St. Simon the Canaanite
	Designers: Japua B.R		Mint: Moscow Mint
	Value: 10 apsars	Alloy:	Quantity:	Quality:
	Issued: 15 February 2012	Diameter: 39.0 mm	Thickness: 3.3 mm	Weight: 33.94

2012

Commemorative Coins of 2012 Historic Monuments of Abkhazia

File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2011 commemorative a.pngFile:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2011 Mokvi Cathedral b.png	The Dormition Cathedral of Myku
	Designers: Japua B.R		Mint: Moscow Mint
	Value: 10 apsars	Alloy:	Quantity:	Quality:
	Issued: 15 February 2012	Diameter: 39.0 mm	Thickness: 3.3 mm	Weight: 33.94
File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2011 commemorative a.pngFile:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2011 Pitsunda Cathedral b.png	Patriarchal cathedral in Pitsunda
	Designers: Japua B.R		Mint: Moscow Mint
	Value: 10 apsars	Alloy:	Quantity:	Quality:
	Issued: 15 February 2012	Diameter: 39.0 mm	Thickness: 3.3 mm	Weight: 33.94
File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2011 commemorative a.pngFile:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2011 Bedia Cathedral b.png	The Bedia Сathedral of the Mother of God
	Designers: Japua B.R		Mint: Moscow Mint
	Value: 10 apsars	Alloy:	Quantity:	Quality:
	Issued: 15 February 2012	Diameter: 39.0 mm	Thickness: 3.3 mm	Weight: 33.94
File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2011 commemorative a.pngFile:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2011 Elyr Church b.png	The Church of St. George in Ilori
	Designers: Japua B.R		Mint: Moscow Mint
	Value: 10 apsars	Alloy:	Quantity:	Quality:
	Issued: 15 February 2012	Diameter: 39.0 mm	Thickness: 3.3 mm	Weight: 33.94
File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2011 commemorative a.pngFile:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2011 Dranda Cathedral b.png	The Dormition Cathedral of Dranda
	Designers: Japua B.R		Mint: Moscow Mint
	Value: 10 apsars	Alloy:	Quantity:	Quality:
	Issued: 15 February 2012	Diameter: 39.0 mm	Thickness: 3.3 mm	Weight: 33.94
File:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2011 commemorative a.pngFile:Abkhazia 10 apsar Ag 2011 Lykhny Church b.png	The Dormition Cathedral of Lykhny
	Designers: Japua B.R		Mint: Moscow Mint
	Value: 10 apsars	Alloy:	Quantity:	Quality:
	Issued: 15 February 2012	Diameter: 39.0 mm	Thickness: 3.3 mm	Weight: 33.94

Banknotes of the Abkhazian apsar

On 29 September 2018, the National Bank of the Republic of Abkhazia issued its first banknote for 500 apsars, in commemoration of the 25th Anniversary of the victory in the Patriotic War of the People of Abkhazia and its first president, Vladislav Arynba. 10,000 notes were printed, but were not released for general circulation.^[4] In 2023, the National Bank of the Republic of Abkhazia issued a 25 apsars banknote, in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the victory in the Patriotic War of the People of Abkhazia. 15,000 notes were printed, but were not issued for general circulation.^[5] In April 2024 the bank released images of new commemorative banknotes of 10 and 100 apsar. These notes were introduced on 10 June 2024.

Banknotes of the Abkhazian apsar
Image		Value	Dimensions	Main Color	Description		Date of issue
Obverse	Reverse	Value	Dimensions	Main Color	Obverse	Reverse	Date of issue
File:500 Abkhazian apsar - 2018 (obverse).jpg	File:500 Abkhazian apsar - 2018 (reverse).jpg	500 apsars	150×65 mm^[6]	Gold and light brown	Coat of arms of Abkhazia, soldiers of the Abkhazian Armed Forces rising the banner of victory, first President of Abkhazia Vladislav Arynba	Coat of arms and map of Abkhazia, QR code^[6]	29 Sep 2018^[6]
File:100 Abkhazian apsar - 2024 (obverse).jpg	File:100 Abkhazian apsar - 2024 (reverse).jpg	100 apsars [1]	150 x 65 mm^[7]	Purple, brown, and green	Caucasian red deer, Caucasus mountains, blackbird on pine branch,.^[7]	Dolmens and cromlech from early Bronze Age, amphora, QR code.^[7]	10 June 2024^[7]
File:25 Abkhazian apsar - 2023 (obverse).jpg	File:25 Abkhazian apsar - 2023 (reverse).jpg	25 apsars	150×65 mm^[8]	Green, orange, red, blue, and yellow	Coat of arms of Abkhazia, eagle in flight, head of an eagle, sailboat^[8]	Two soldiers standing, each holding a sword and rifle, numeral "25", QR code	22 May 2023^[8]
File:10 Abkhazian apsar - 2024 (obverse).jpg	File:10 Abkhazian apsar - 2024 (reverse).jpg	10 apsars [2]	150 x 65 mm^[9]	Orange, red, green, purple	Caucasian leopard, bronze axe, coat of arms^[9]	Bronze axe, traditional military staff "alabasha", QR code.^[9]	10 June 2024^[9]

References

↑ Blauvelt, Timothy K.; Smith, Jeremy (19 November 2015). Georgia after Stalin: Nationalism and Soviet power. Routledge. ISBN 9781317369790 – via Google Books.
↑ Wright, John; Schofield, Richard; Goldenberg, Suzanne (16 December 2003). Transcaucasian Boundaries. Routledge. ISBN 9781135368500 – via Google Books.
↑ (in Russian) Regnum.ru: "Apsar" — part of the country's image
↑ Abkhazia 500 apsars Banknote Museum (www.banknote.ws). Retrieved on 2018-10-28.
↑ Abkhazia new 25-apsar note (B102a) reportedly introduced on 22.05.2023 BanknoteNews (https://banknotenews.com). 22 May 2023. Retrieved on 2023-05-23.
↑ ^6.0 ^6.1 ^6.2 "National Bank of the Republic of Abkhazia : The Bank of Abkhazia Information - Vladislav Ardzinba". nb-ra.org. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
↑ ^7.0 ^7.1 ^7.2 ^7.3 "National Bank of the Republic of Abkhazia : The Bank of Abkhazia Information - Caucasian Red Deer". nb-ra.org. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
↑ ^8.0 ^8.1 ^8.2 "National Bank of the Republic of Abkhazia : The Bank of Abkhazia Information - Banknote". nb-ra.org. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
↑ ^9.0 ^9.1 ^9.2 ^9.3 "National Bank of the Republic of Abkhazia : The Bank of Abkhazia Information - Leopard". nb-ra.org. Retrieved 22 June 2024.

External links

[1] Blauvelt, Timothy K.; Smith, Jeremy (19 November 2015). Georgia after Stalin: Nationalism and Soviet power. Routledge. ISBN 9781317369790 – via Google Books.

[2] Wright, John; Schofield, Richard; Goldenberg, Suzanne (16 December 2003). Transcaucasian Boundaries. Routledge. ISBN 9781135368500 – via Google Books.

[reg407-3] (in Russian) Regnum.ru: "Apsar" — part of the country's image

[4] Abkhazia 500 apsars Banknote Museum (www.banknote.ws). Retrieved on 2018-10-28.

[5] Abkhazia new 25-apsar note (B102a) reportedly introduced on 22.05.2023 BanknoteNews (https://banknotenews.com). 22 May 2023. Retrieved on 2023-05-23.

[:0-6] 6.0 ^6.1 ^6.2 "National Bank of the Republic of Abkhazia : The Bank of Abkhazia Information - Vladislav Ardzinba". nb-ra.org. Retrieved 22 June 2024.

[:1-7] 7.0 ^7.1 ^7.2 ^7.3 "National Bank of the Republic of Abkhazia : The Bank of Abkhazia Information - Caucasian Red Deer". nb-ra.org. Retrieved 22 June 2024.

[:2-8] 8.0 ^8.1 ^8.2 "National Bank of the Republic of Abkhazia : The Bank of Abkhazia Information - Banknote". nb-ra.org. Retrieved 22 June 2024.

[:3-9] 9.0 ^9.1 ^9.2 ^9.3 "National Bank of the Republic of Abkhazia : The Bank of Abkhazia Information - Leopard". nb-ra.org. Retrieved 22 June 2024.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

v t e Currencies of post-Soviet states
Current	Abkhazian apsar* Armenian dram Azerbaijani manat Belarusian ruble Euro Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania Georgian lari Kazakhstani tenge Kyrgyz som Moldovan leu Russian ruble Russia, Abkhazia* and South Ossetia* South Ossetian zarin* Tajikistani somoni Transnistrian ruble* Turkmenistani manat Ukrainian hryvnia Uzbekistani sum
Obsolete	Artsakh dram* Chechen naxar* Estonian kroon Georgian kuponi Latvian ruble Latvian lats Lithuanian litas Lithuanian talonas Moldovan cupon Soviet ruble Tajikistani ruble Ukrainian karbovanets
* Unrecognized

v t e Currencies of Europe
European Union	Bulgarian lev Czech koruna Danish krone (pegged currency: Faroese króna) Euro Hungarian forint Polish złoty Romanian leu Swedish krona
Eastern	Abkhazian apsar (unrecognised) Armenian dram Azerbaijani manat Belarusian ruble Georgian lari Kazakhstani tenge Moldovan leu Russian ruble Transnistrian ruble (unrecognised) Ukrainian hryvnia
Southern	Albanian lek Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark Macedonian denar Serbian dinar Turkish lira
Western	Icelandic króna Norwegian krone Sterling (pegged currencies: Gibraltar pound · Guernsey pound · Jersey pound · Manx pound) Swiss franc

v t e Currencies of Asia
Central	Kazakhstani tenge Kyrgyz som Tajikistani somoni Turkmenistani manat Uzbekistani sum
East	Renminbi (yuan) Hong Kong dollar Japanese yen North Korean won South Korean won Macanese pataca Mongolian tögrög New Taiwan dollar
North	Russian ruble
South	Afghan afghani Bangladeshi taka Bhutanese ngultrum Indian rupee Maldivian rufiyaa Nepalese rupee Pakistani rupee Pound sterling Sri Lankan rupee U.S. dollar
Southeast	Australian dollar Brunei dollar Cambodian riel Indonesian rupiah Lao kip Malaysian ringgit Myanmar kyat Philippine peso (piso) Singapore dollar Thai baht U.S. dollar Vietnamese đồng
West	Armenian dram Azerbaijani manat Bahraini dinar Egyptian pound Emirati dirham Euro Georgian lari Iranian rial Iraqi dinar Israeli new shekel Jordanian dinar Kuwaiti dinar Lebanese pound Omani rial Qatari riyal Saudi riyal Syrian pound Turkish lira Yemeni rial

Abkhazian apsar

Contents

Issues

2008 commemorative coins of the 15th anniversary of the Abkhazian victory in the 1992–93 war

2009

Commemorative coins of Abkhazian writers

Commemorative Nart coin

2010

Commemorative Coins of 2010 Historic Monuments of Abkhazia

2011

Commemorative Coin of 2011 World Domino Championship

Commemorative Coins of 2011 Historic Monuments of Abkhazia

2012

Commemorative Coins of 2012 Historic Monuments of Abkhazia

Banknotes of the Abkhazian apsar

References

External links

Navigation menu

Page actions

Page actions

Personal tools

Navigation

Search

Tools

In other projects

In other languages