7 g, 250. obletnica rojstva Žige Zoisa (1997) **

Vir: Banka Slovenije

Žiga Zois, baron Edelsteinski, je bil rojen 23. novembra 1747 v Trstu. Oče je bil trgovec, ki se je preselil iz Italije v Ljubljano, mati pa je bila iz znane slovenske železarske družine. Žiga Zois je po očetu podedoval posestva, graščine in fužine na Kranjskem in je bil eden najbogatejših Kranjcev. Bil vsestranski človek, ne le mecen in mentor – pomemben je bil tudi zaradi pretoka informacij, ki ga je organiziral s svojimi zvezami doma in v tujini.
Na literarnem in kulturnem področju je bil osrednja osebnost slovenskega narodnega preroda na prehodu v 19. stoletje. Po letu 1780 so se začeli okrog njega v razsvetljenskem krožku zbirati številni kulturni delavci. V tem krožku so delovali pomembni literarni preroditelji in pisci strokovne literature. Žiga Zois je pridobil Jurija Japlja in Blaža Kumerdeja, da sta zbirala gradivo za slovar in začela sestavljati znanstveno slovnico.
Anton Tomaž Linhart je na Zoisovo pobudo začel pisati v slovenskem jeziku in tako je Zois pripomogel, da se je slovenščina uveljavila v gledališču. Linhartu je pomagal pri pisanju prve kritične zgodovine Slovencev.
Tudi Valentin Vodnik se je pod Zoisovim mentorstvom izoblikoval v prvega slovenskega pesnika. Jerneju Kopitarju, ki je bil njegov tajnik in knjižničar v njegovi bogati, sodobni knjižnici, je omogočil, da je napisal prvo slovensko znanstveno slovnico.
Bil je naravoslovec; zbral je obsežno zbirko mineralov, ki se zdaj nahaja v Prirodoslovnem muzeju v Ljubljani. Tedaj še neznan mineral, ki so ga našli na Svinški planini, so poimenovali po njem. Kot zoolog je med prvimi gojil človeško ribico, jo proučeval in pisal o njej. Zanimal se je tudi za rudarstvo in fužinarstvo. Uvajal je novo organizacijo in tehnologijo dela v železarstvu in izumil puhalnik za plavž. Skonstruiral je invalidski voziček, ki mu je kljub hudi bolezni omogočal gibanje. Dejaven je ostal vse do smrti 10. novembra 1819.
V spomin na 250. obletnico rojstva Žige Zoisa izdaja Republika Slovenija tudi zlate spominske kovance, ki ponazarjajo Zoisovo življenje in delo. Na kovancih je prikazan del kolesa invalidskega vozička, ki mu je kljub bolezni omogočal nadaljevati njegovo delo. Del kroga in prečke ponazarjajo Zoisov krožek. Glavna prečka, ki ločuje obe letnici, pa pomeni »od Žige Zoisa do danes«. Profil portreta si lahko zamislimo kot reko Savo, katere plovnost si je prizadeval izboljšati.

• Zlatnik z nominalno vrednostjo 5.000 tolarjev, s težo 7 gramov in premerom 24 milimetrov, čistine 900/1000, v količini 1.000 kovancev.

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250th anniversary of the birth of Ziga Zois (1997)

Ziga Zois, Baron Edelstein, was born on 23 November 1747 in Trieste . His father was a merchant who moved from Italy to Ljubljana, while his mother came from a famous Slovene ironworking family. He inherited his father’s estates, manors and ironworks in Carniola and was one of the richest men in the region.
Ziga Zois was a man of many parts. As well as being a patron and mentor he played an important role in providing, via his connections, a constant flow of information between Slovenia and abroad.
He was a central figure in the literary and cultural arena of the Slovene national revival that began at the end of the 18th century. After 1780 an enlightened circle of cultural figures began to gather around him. The circle included those prominent in the literary rebirth of the nation and authors of scholarly and technical literature. Zois encouraged Jurij Japelj and Blaz Kumerdej to collect material for a dictionary and start compiling a scientific grammar. At Zois’s suggestion Anton Tomaz Linhart began writing in Slovene, thus helping establish the use of Slovene in the theatre. Zois also helped Linhart in his writing of the first critical history of the Slovenes. Under Zois’s mentorship, Valentin Vodnik developed into the first Slovene poet. Jernej Kopitar, Zois’s secretary and the librarian of his extensive, modern library, was given the support that enabled him to write the first scientific grammar of Slovene.
Zois was also a natural scientist. He built up an extensive collection of minerals, now housed in the Natural History Museum in Ljubljana. A previously unknown mineral found on Svinska Planina was named after him. As a zoologist, he was among the first to breed the “human fish” (proteus anguinus), as well as to study and write about it. He was also interested in mining and ironworking. He introduced new organization and technology to ironworking and invented a blasting device for furnaces.
He built a wheelchair which allowed him to move around despite a serious illness. He remained active right up until his death on 10 November 1819.
In commemoration of the 250th anniversary of Ziga Zois’s birth, the Republic of Slovenia is issuing three commemorative coins depicting Zois’s life and work. The coins show a part of the wheel of the wheelchair which enabled him to continue his work despite his illness. The rim section and spokes depict Zois’s circle. The main spoke, which divides the two dates, means “From Ziga Zois to Today”. It is possible to see, in the profile of the portrait, the shape of the River Sava, whose navigability Zois endeavoured to improve.
To mark the 250th anniversary of Ziga Zois´s birth, the Republic of Slovenia hereby issues also gold commemorative coins:

• a gold coin with a nominal value of 5.000 tolars, a weight of 7 grams, a diameter of 24 mm and a purity of 900/1000, in a maximum quantity of 1.000 coins.

Idea for the design by: Ales Kuder, Darja Kuder, Arnela Vidosevic, Ljubljana
Relief design: Dalibor Schmidt
Minting: State Mint, Kremnica/Slovakia