I present another new coin from Kazakhstan that recently arrived. This is the Tobol Thinker. It's a bimetallic coin (combining silver and tantalum). The sculpture featured on the coin was found in 1976 along the river Tobol near Kostanay. It is believed to date back to ancient times and resembles a man thinking (hence the name "Tobol Thinker"). One source compared it to the statues on Easter Island, but there is no definite connection. http://masterpieces.asemus.museum/masterpiece/detail.nhn?objectId=14409 Date of issue: 12.27.2019 Face value: 500 Tenge Diameter: 38.61 mm Quality: Proof Mintage: 1,000 Series: Treasures of the steppe Obv: State emblem is framed by an ornamental rosette Rev: The Thinker is in the center and is surrounded by equations and numbers (a collection of zeros and ones). Meaning (according to several websites): representation of the genius of human thought, striving to uncover the secrets of the origin of life and the mysteries of the universe
Here are some other threads about coins from Kazakhstan: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/kazakhstan-silver-tantalum-space-series.366359/ https://www.cointalk.com/threads/this-caught-my-eye.331132/ https://www.cointalk.com/threads/the-collection-continues.349335/
There are some really cool looking Kazakh coins out there. This is no exception. I think that 2019 owl is wicked cool looking.
So of course I had to Google the "Tobol(sk) Thinker". And tantalum. Interesting on both counts. Hadn't heard of either, so I didn't know tantalum was an element on the periodic table.
That was the source that I was referencing when I mentioned the connection to the Easter Island statues (thanks for adding the link!).
Ooh, sweet! Congrats! You can’t top that result! After a couple decades of occasional submissions, it was only just a year or two ago that I “made” my first 70-grade on a coin I sent in: