Colombia Coins 1000 Pesos 2014 Loggerhead Sea Turtle
Obverse: Loggerhead turtle.
Lettering: •AGUA•AGUA•AGUA•AGUA•AGUA•AGUA•AGUA TORTOGA·CAGUAMA caretta caretta
Reverse: Latent image at the center with the initials "BRC" or "MIL", depending on the angle of view. Microtext at the bottom of the coin translates "Taking care of the water", repeated consecutively, alternatingly upright and inverted.
Lettering: • REPUBLICA DE COLOMBIA • 1000 • PESOS • CUIDAR EL AGUA·CUIDAR EL AGUA·CUIDAR EL AGUA·CUIDAR EL AGUA·2012
Edge: Reeded security edge.
Country: Colombia
Years: 2012-2015.
Value: 1000 Pesos.
Metal: Bi-Metallic Copper-nickel-zinc center in Aluminium-bronze ring.
Weight: 9.95 g.
Diameter: 26.7 mm.
Thickness: 2.7 mm.
Shape: Round.
The 1000 pesos coin is the icon of the new family of coins and represents the outstanding Colombian biodiversity.
Introduction
As a consequence of the level of counterfeiting reached by the former 1000 pesos coin some years ago, people started losing confidence in the coin to the point that the demand for this coin denomination dropped dramatically. Since that time the institution developed a research and testing project to reintroduce a new coin of this denomination to the cash flow.
A technical team studied the methods and techniques used by counterfeiters, as well as major developments in the industry of coins manufacturing in terms of alloys, quality and safety, and proposed the basis for a design that would meet the highest security and technical standards.
Based on these technical definitions and the leitmotif of biodiversity, with emphasis on water, renowned Colombian artists were invited to propose a design for this new coin.
Among the proposals selected, there were those that would ensure the most likelihood of security features and best represented the suggested subject. After interesting discussions between artists and technicians and successive tests, the conclusion was to a coin for circulation which in the opinion of the Bank's Board of Directors met theme, design, and security requirements, with the following specifications:
NOMINATION FOR THE BEST NEW CIRCULATING COIN
We are proud of nominating our new circulating 1000 pesos coin issued on June 13th, 2012,
as mentioned earlier:
I. - Environmental awareness
The engraving of this new coin highlights the importance of environmental resources, especially water. That valuable resource is represented explicit or implicitly in the new piece, not only to facilitate coin recognition within the public but also to reinforce the educational intention on environmental awareness. In this way, it contributes to awake to the interest in the conservation of the environment.
In addition, this initiative highlights a representative species of the rich Colombian biodiversity. It aims to also contribute to the education and public awareness about the need to take care of the country’s typical flora and fauna.
II. - Theme of the New Circulating Coin
As mentioned before, there is a consistent design theme around the native Colombian fauna which is intended to reflect the country’s biodiversity. The coin also features images of water, which is seen as essential to the country’s ecological heritage. This particular design has confirmed the interest of the Bank in promoting and preserving the country´s natural resources for a sustainable future.
III. - Design and security features.
It is a bimetallic coin with a silver colored centre and gold outer
It features an image of a “loggerhead turtle” entering the water (The Loggerhead turtle is a highly migratory marine species for nesting; one of the sites of choice for this process and the foraging are the Colombian beaches of the Caribbean and the Pacific. Its population has been significantly affected due to hunting for its shell, the collection of their eggs, the invasion of spawning beaches and the incidental catch by trawlers in the shrimp industry).
The following are the most important security features of the coin obverse:
Multilevel Image: Turtle named “CAGUAMA” located on the left side of the coin and partially covers the center field. The turtle is created by multilevel to generate volume and three-dimensionality. The turtle has fine details in its design, making it a complex image with different reliefs and high definition.
Field: located in the center and the ring of the coin. It is flat and brilliant.
External and internal beading: made up of a dots string in high relief and high definition
Circumscribed text: the word “agua” (water) in high relief, repeated seven times in consecutive and inverted form each one with respect to the previous one.
External waves: lines in different reliefs which displacement covers the ring and the center. They are interrupted by the text with the name of the turtle
On the reverse of the coin it is possible to observe:
Latent image that allows displaying two images: at an angle BRC letters (initials of Banco de la República de Colombia) and in other angle the word MIL (thousand), in both views the appearance of waves giving continuity to the design.
Circumscribed micro text: the words “CUIDAR EL AGUA” (take care of water) in high relief, repeated four times in consecutive and inverted form each one with respect to theprevious one.
Rim: circular, followed by a stepwise nonagon (nine sides) rim.
Edge: with a groove
Wavelike lines at 90 degrees with very fine parallel lines
Loggerhead sea turtle
The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), or loggerhead, is an oceanic turtle distributed throughout the world. It is a marine reptile, belonging to the family Cheloniidae. The average loggerhead measures around 90 cm (35 in) long when fully grown, although larger specimens of up to 280 cm (110 in) have been discovered. The adult loggerhead sea turtle weighs approximately 135 kg (298 lb), with the largest specimens weighing in at more than 450 kg (1,000 lb). The skin ranges from yellow to brown in color, and the shell is typically reddish brown. No external differences in sex are seen until the turtle becomes an adult, the most obvious difference being the adult males have thicker tails and shorter plastrons than the females.
The loggerhead sea turtle is found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean Sea. It spends most of its life in saltwater and estuarine habitats, with females briefly coming ashore to lay eggs. The loggerhead sea turtle has a low reproductive rate; females lay an average of four egg clutches and then become quiescent, producing no eggs for two to three years. The loggerhead reaches sexual maturity within 17–33 years and has a lifespan of 47–67 years.
The loggerhead sea turtle is omnivorous, feeding mainly on bottom-dwelling invertebrates. Its large and powerful jaws serve as an effective tool for dismantling its prey. Young loggerheads are exploited by numerous predators; the eggs are especially vulnerable to terrestrial organisms. Once the turtles reach adulthood, their formidable size limits predation to large marine animals, such as sharks.
Loggerheads are considered an endangered species and are protected by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Untended fishing gear is responsible for many loggerhead deaths. Turtles may also suffocate if they are trapped in fishing trawls. Turtle excluder devices have been implemented in efforts to reduce mortality by providing an escape route for the turtles. Loss of suitable nesting beaches and the introduction of exotic predators have also taken a toll on loggerhead populations. Efforts to restore their numbers will require international cooperation, since the turtles roam vast areas of ocean and critical nesting beaches are scattered across several countries.
Loggerhead turtles, along with green sea turtles, are the sea turtle species that are most commonly kept in captivity.