2012 - Niue 1 NZD - Lady with an Ermine - Proof

The pearl of worldwide fame paintings by Leonardo da Vinci is now on the silver coin of the most recent "Masterpieces of the Renaissance" series.

The only painting by Leonardo da Vinci in Polish museums which has been immortalized on the first collector coin of the "Masterpieces of Renaissance" series.

Each coin is housed in a stylish occasional case and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.

The Czartoryski’s Foundation XX, which is the owner of the the painting "Lady with an Ermine", is the Honorary Patron of issuing the coin.

History:
The notable portrait of the "Lady with an Ermine" opens the latest series of the coins presenting the most famous, not only in Poland but throughout the world, Renaissance masterpieces. What deserves special attention is the exquisitely made selectively gold-plated, openwork ornament and lettering, as well as highly precise pad printing which realistically reflects the image of the painting. Between 1483 and 1490 in Milan, Leonardo da Vinci, a Renaissance man ahead of his times, painted a full of symbols, enigmatic portrait of Cecilia Gallerani who was the mistress of Duke Ludovico Sforza. In 1800 the Czartoryski family became the owners of the painting, and today the Czartoryski’s Foundation XX is in possession of it.

The designer of the "Lady with an Ermine" coin is Tadeusz Kotowicz, a prominent Polish medalist. The next coin of the "Masterpieces of the Renaissance" series is to be released at the turn of February and March in 2013.