Silver Coin 5 Oz Decameron 2023 Antique Standard

Giovanni Boccaccio, The Decameron

This unique silver coin, issued by the Republic of Cameroon in 2023 in the purest 99.9% silver, weighing 5 Oz (155.5 g) with a patinated Antique Standard finish, is a tribute to the masterpiece of early Italian prose by Italian writer Giovanni Boccaccio - The Decameron.

The reverse of the coin depicts in its centre a group of central characters, ten young friends in a convivial atmosphere. Around them unfolds the pictorial plot of their narrative, which was shocking in its day for its scandalous content. The stories are represented by a colorful tangle of human characters, often captured in a titillating or downright erotic scene. The artistically valuable high relief embossing is meticulously detailed in remarkable detail. The motif of the coin is complemented by the stylized inscription "DECAMERON" at the lower edge of the coin.
The collection of novellas Decameron was written by Giovanni Boccaccio between 1348 and 1353. Set in 1348, it follows a group of ten noble young people who have fled from plague-ridden Florence to an isolated mansion near the city. To pass the long evenings, seven girls and three young men entertain each other with stories. After ten days, the common predilection of this dozen storytellers creates one hundred separate tales.
Written at the turn of two historical eras, the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the work chronicles the intermingling of cultural and social change. The author has brought together a witty and varied mosaic of short novellas openly describing love, intimacy and eroticism, while also presenting themes of infidelity, human folly, cunning and tragedy. He drew inspiration for his plots from a number of other stories, originating in Italy, Spain but also the Middle East and India.
Boccacio openly criticizes and ridicules the hypocrisy of the clergy, describing their double life full of perversions or greed. Decameron was immediately condemned by the Catholic Church after its publication and was banned for the next few centuries. Yet the book continued to circulate among readers and its popularity did not diminish. It may seem almost humorous that the Church sought to correct its portrayal when, in 1573, it commissioned a reworking of the work, replacing the characters of priests with lay persons.

The obverse bears a portrait of the author of the Decameron and the name "GIOVANNI BOCCACIO" divided into lines with the birth and death dates "1313 - 1375". The image of the writer wearing a medieval hood and a laurel wreath on his head is based on a number of surviving works of art. The year of issue '2023', the country of origin 'REPUBLIQUE DU CAMEROUN', the face value '5000 FRANCSA CFA' and the weight and purity of the metal are shown on the rim.

The uniqueness of the coin is presented by the luxury packaging. It consists of a wooden case, a certificate, a summary of the poem in three languages and a book cover. All parts are marked with the description of the edition. The mintage is limited to 333 pieces for the whole world!