Michał Kleofas Ogiński, 10 Roubles

The Mint of Poland presents a gold coin minted in commemoration of the great Polish composer, diplomat and politician, one of the participants of the Kościuszko Uprising, Michał Kleofas Ogiński.

This 12 milimeter coin is a very precious and a unique gift for all history enthusiasts. Minted at the Mint of Poland in cooperation with the issuer National Bank of the Republic of Belarus in limited mintage – up to 2,000 pcs. Offered in a green case with a certificate of authenticity of the Mint of Poland.

Obverse:
In the central part of the coin – the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Belarus. On the right – the mint’s mark (m/w). On the left – alloy of the coin (Au 900). On the rim – a semicircular inscriptions: “РЭСПУБЛIКА БЕЛАРУСЬ” (name of the issuer  - the Republic of Belarus), “10 РУБЛЁЎ”  (face value – 10 Roubles) and “2011” (year of issue).

Reverse:
In the central part of the coin – the likeness of Michał Kleofas Ogiński. Below it – his handwritten signature and the designer's symbol.

Designer: Piotr Gorol

Michał Kleofas Ogiński (1765 - 1833) was a Polish composer, diplomat and politician, Lithuanian Grand Treasurer (1793–1796), since 1789 Sword-bearer of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Russian senator, participant of the Kościuszko Uprising (Lithuania, 1794) and emigration activist. He was born in Guzów, within Żyrardów County (being a part of Polish Kingdom during Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth), near Sochaczew.

He composed piano polonaises, romances, cantos, quadrilles, minuets, waltzes and one act of the opera entitled „Zélis et Valcour ou Bonaparte au Caire” ("Zelis and Valcour or Napoleon in Egypt") .However, this opera was never shown to the audience. He is the author of „Listy o muzyce” („Letters about music”) and memoirs „O Polsce i Polakach: od roku 1788 aż do końca roku 1815” („Memoirs on Poland and Poles:from 1788 till the end of1815 year”), published in French under the title „Mémoires de Michel Oginski sur la Pologne et les Polonais, deputs 1788 jusqu’a la fin de 1815” in Paris, 1827. As a composer he is best known for his Polonaise a-moll „A Farewell to the Homeland” ("Pożegnanie Ojczyzny") written on the occasion of his emigration to Western Europe after the failure of the Kosciuszko Insurrection.

He died in 1833 in Florence, buried in church Santa Croce where such an outstanding personalities like Galileo, Michelangelo, Rossini, Machiavelli and princesses Czartoryski repose.