Romanian Novelist Honored in Silver

The National Bank of Romania is issuing a silver coin dedicated to Romanian author Hortensia Papadat-Bengescu to commemorate the 150th anniversary of her birth. 

Hortensia Papadat-Bengescu

Born on December 8, 1876, Hortensia Papadat-Bengescu was a prominent novelist of the Romanian interwar period. She first wrote for literary journals, with her first story, Povârnisul (“The Slope”), published in 1915. Due to her family’s frequent moves, she didn’t publish her first novel, Ape Adanci (“Deep Waters”), until 1919, when she was 43. Papadat-Bengescu published 13 works until she died on March 5, 1955.

The Coin

The commemorative’s obverse features Papadat-Bengescu’s portrait. Her name appears above, and the years of her birth and death (1876-1955) are at right. The reverse features a scene inspired by her 1927 novel Concert din muzica de Bach (“A Concert of Bach’s Music”), with a piano at right and a vase filled with flowers on a table to the left. The year appears on the piano, and ROMANIA is above the scene, while the denomination (10 lei) is at the bottom. Priced at 1,050 lei (US$228), the coins are limited to a mintage of 300. Informational booklets and certificates of authenticity accompany each commemorative. For more information, visit the National Bank of Romania’s website.