Central Bank of Ireland launches George Bernard Shaw collector coin

The Central Bank of Ireland has today launched a limited edition €15 silver proof collector coin to honour the late writer, George Bernard Shaw. This year marks the 100^th anniversary of George Bernard Shaw winning the Nobel Prize for literature.

Designed by Antonella Napolione, the coin features a portrait of Shaw and is stamped with the year 1925, the year he won the Nobel Prize.

The coin will be available to purchase from www.collectorcoins.ie and will go on sale today at 2pm. There are 3,000 coins available and they will retail at €65.

Launching the commemorative coin during a special event today at the Museum of Literature Ireland, Governor Gabriel Makhlouf said: “Their aim is to recognise figures – or events – of national importance and today we celebrate one of Ireland’s greatest literary geniuses, George Bernard Shaw.

“This coin is a tangible tribute to one of the brilliant minds of the 20^th century.  He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1925 “for his work which is marked by both idealism and humanity, its stimulating satire often being infused with a singular poetic beauty”.

“George Bernard Shaw left a significant legacy of theatrical, fictional, polemical, critical and philosophical writing.  He wrote that “an Irishman’s heart is nothing but his imagination” and his appreciation and understanding of Ireland had a profound influence on his career.    We take great pride in the issuing of commemorative coins and we are delighted in issuing this coin today.  Shaw would probably have found the notion of his face on a coin rather strange – and he would have complained that we were commemorating him at all, as he did when awarded the Nobel Prize – but I hope he would also appreciate the enduring recognition it represents."