Coins of Yugoslavia 250 Dinara Silver Coin 1983 Lepenski Vir sculpture 1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympic Games
At the time, Sarajevo was the second largest city to host the Olympic Winter Games. These were the first Winter Olympic Games that featured gold coins. Marja-Liisa Haemaelaeinen of Finland was the first woman to win three gold medals in cross country skiing. Katarina Witt won her first Olympic gold medal in Figure Skating, and figure skating duo Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean won the Gold Medal, and performed to the music of Ravel’s Bolero.
Obverse Design: The Olympic emblem of Sarajevo (The emblem symbolizes a stylized snowflake, as well as the embroidery produced in the Sarajevo region with the Olympic rings above.), the emblem of Yugoslavia, and a Cyrillic legend, meaning: “The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia”
Reverse Design: Lepenski Vir sculpture, the words Lepenski VIR, and the legend, “XIV Zimske Olimpijske Igre Sarajevo ‘84”, meaning: “XIV Olympic Winter Games Sarajevo ‘84”.
The artists for all Reverse Designs were Nebojsa Mitric, Dragisa Andric, Dragomir Mileusnic, Djordje Jovanovic, and Ljubisa Mancic. The artist for all Obverse Designs was Nebojsa Mitric.
Diameter: 34 mm
Weight: 17 grams
Thickness: 1.85 mm
Composition: .925 silver and .075 copper
Edge: Milled
Struck by Zlatara Majdanpek (ZM) and Zavod za izradu novcanica (ZIN)
Mintage (ZM): 40,448
Mintage (ZIN): 11,703
Issue Price: 4,125 Dinar ($36 US)
1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympic Coins
Ice Sports
Snow Sports
Culture and History
Lepenski Vir
Lepenski Vir (Лепенски Вир, Lepen Whirl) is an important Mesolithic archaeological site located in Serbia in central Balkan peninsula The latest radiocarbon and AMS data suggests that the chronology of Lepenski Vir is compressed between 9500 / 7200-6000 BC. There is some disagreement about the early start of the settlement and culture of Lepenskir vir. But the latest data suggest 9500-7200 to be the start. The late Lepenskir Vir (6300-6000 B.C.) architectural development was the development of the Trapezoidal buildings and monumental sculpture The Lepenskir Vir site consists of one large settlement with around ten satellite villages. Numerous piscine sculptures and peculiar architecture are testimony to a rich social and religious life led by the inhabitants and the high cultural level of these early Europeans.
Lepenski Vir is located on the banks of the Danube in eastern Serbia, within the Iron Gates gorge, near Donji Milanovac. The first excavations were made on the site in 1965. In 1966 it was listed as a cultural monument of Yugoslavia. It was only in 1967 that its importance was fully understood after the discovery of the first Mesolithic sculptures. The excavations ended in 1971 when the whole site was relocated 29.7m higher to avoid flooding from a new artificial lake created in the Iron Gates gorge. The main contribution to exploration of this site was through the work of professor Dragoslav Srejović of the University of Belgrade. 136 buildings, settlements and altars were found in the initial excavations in 1965-1970.
Lepenski Vir was declared a Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1979, and it is protected by the Republic of Serbia.
Lepenski Vir sculptures
The Lepenski Vir sculptures are numerous prehistoric figurines dating from 7000 BC found intact in the Lepenski Vir. They are occasionally referred to as "Out-of-place artifacts". The sculptures are important, because they represent the first appearance of monumental sculpture in Europe.
The earliest sculptures found on the site date to the time of Lepenski Vir Ib settlement. They are present in all the following layers until the end of the distinct Lepenski vir culture. All the sculptures were carved from round sandstone cobbles found on the river banks.
The sculptures can be separated in two distinct categories, one with simple geometric patterns and the other representing humanoid figures. The latter are the most interesting. All of these figural sculptures were modelled in a naturalistic and strongly expressionistic manner. Only the head and face of the human figures were modelled realistically, with strong brow arches, an elongated nose, and a wide, fish-like mouth. Hair, beard, arms and hands can be seen on some of the figures in a stylized form. Many fish-like features can be noticed. Along with the position which these sculptures had in the house shrine, they suggest a connection with river gods.