13 August 2023
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A new €7.50 coin has been issued by the Portuguese Mint (Imprensa Nacional-Casa da Moeda) to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Vasco da Gama Aquarium in Lisbon.
Titled ‘Literacy of the Seas’, the coin helps to highlight the importance of preserving marine ecosystems and promote knowledge about the oceans.
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One of the oldest museum aquariums in the world, the Vasco da Gama Aquarium first opened on 20 May 1898 and was handed over to the Portuguese Navy in 1901.
The museum plays a vital role in sea literacy and awareness of the need for ocean conservation, being committed to promoting Portugal’s aquatic biodiversity and knowledge about the seas. It does this by encouraging informed and responsible interactions with this important ecosystem and economic resource.
Designed by Baiba Šime, who works as a numismatic engraver at the mint, the obverse of the coin features the exoskeleton of a sea urchin (Paracentrotus lividus), while the reverse features the giant squid (Architeuthis), which is the marine creature emblem of the Vasco da Gama Aquarium.
