{"title":"Iceland","description":"\u003cp\u003eIceland is a country that should not work. It sits on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, volcanically restless, geothermally alive, battered by North Atlantic storms, with a population smaller than most mid-sized American cities. And yet it has produced one of the most stable, prosperous, and culturally rich societies on earth — a nation that has been running a parliament since 930 AD, writes more books per capita than anywhere else in the world, and once won a naval standoff with the United Kingdom using a fleet of fishing vessels. Iceland does not do things the expected way. Its coins don’t either.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eA Giant, a Dragon, an Eagle, and a Bull Walk Onto a Coin…\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost countries put monarchs on their coins. Founding fathers. Allegorical figures of liberty or justice. Iceland put \u003cstrong\u003emythological monsters\u003c\/strong\u003e. The four \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Landv%C3%A6ttir\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eLandvættir\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e — the ancient guardian spirits of the island — appear on the obverse of every denomination from 5 Krónur upward, and one of them, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bergrisi\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBergrisi\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e the Mountain Giant, stands alone on the 1 Króna, the smallest coin in the series.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe story behind them comes from the \u003cem\u003eHeimskringla\u003c\/em\u003e, the 13th-century Norse chronicle: a Danish king sent a sorcerer, disguised as a whale, to scout Iceland for invasion. He swam around the island and was met, at each shore, by one of the four spirits. In the north, Bergrisi — enormous, club in hand, flanked by a host of giants — drove him back. In the east, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gammur\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGammur\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e the eagle spread wings so vast they touched the mountains on either side. In the west, \u003cstrong\u003eGriðungur\u003c\/strong\u003e the bull waded into the sea and bellowed with such force the sorcerer turned tail. In the south, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Icelandic_wyvern\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDreki\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e the dragon flew overhead breathing fire, trailed by a swarm of serpents. The invasion never happened. Iceland was never conquered — it was simply too well guarded.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese four spirits now appear on the \u003cstrong\u003ecoat of arms of Iceland\u003c\/strong\u003e, and on these coins. A giant. A dragon. An eagle. A bull. On money that people used to buy groceries. That is genuinely, objectively cool.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Dolphins Are Also Extremely Cool\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 5 Krónur gets a pair of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Common_dolphin\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCommon Dolphins\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e (\u003cem\u003eDelphinus delphis\u003c\/em\u003e) leaping in tandem on the reverse — bodies arched, flukes trailing, the whole composition radiating speed and intelligence. Dolphins are a genuine presence in Icelandic waters, part of the rich marine ecosystem of the North Atlantic, and whoever designed this coin clearly understood that two dolphins mid-leap is simply a better image than most things you could put on a coin. No notes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Fish Are… Fine. Iceland Is a Fishing Country.\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLook, not every reverse can be a dragon. The 1 Króna has an \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Atlantic_cod\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAtlantic Cod\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e. The 10 Krónur has four \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Capelin\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapelin\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e. The 50 Krónur has a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/European_green_crab\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShore Crab\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e. The 100 Krónur has a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lumpfish\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLumpfish\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e — which is, to be fair, one of the stranger-looking fish in the North Atlantic, with a lumpy scaleless body and a suction disc for a belly. In fairness to Iceland: the cod literally won them a war with the United Kingdom. The capelin is the keystone species that keeps the entire North Atlantic food web from collapsing. The lumpfish roe is exported worldwide as a caviar substitute. These are not random fish. They are the fish that built a country. They just look like fish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Coins\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis collection includes Iceland’s complete modern circulation series — individual coins and sets — spanning the 1 Króna through 100 Krónur denominations, all in the magnetic nickel plated steel and nickel brass compositions minted at the \u003cstrong\u003eRoyal Mint, Llantrisant, United Kingdom\u003c\/strong\u003e. All coins are \u003cstrong\u003eUncirculated (UNC)\u003c\/strong\u003e unless otherwise noted. Whether you want the giant, the dragon, the dolphins, or the full set — it’s all here.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"iceland-km-27a-1-krona-coin-1989-2011-unc-1","title":"Iceland KM#27a 1 krona coin 1989-2011 UNC—Cod—Bergrisi the Giant, Guardian of Iceland!","description":"\u003ch3\u003eFront\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColors:\u003c\/strong\u003e silver-gray nickel engraving; plain steel background\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bergrisi\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBergrisi\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e the giant, one of the four traditional protector spirits (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Landv%C3%A6ttir\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eLandvættir\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e) of Iceland\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLettering: \u003cem\u003eEIN KRÓNA \/ ÍSLAND\u003c\/em\u003e (year varies)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eBack\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColors:\u003c\/strong\u003e silver-gray nickel engraving; plain steel background\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFace value \"1\" above an \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Atlantic_cod\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAtlantic Cod\u003c\/a\u003e (\u003cem\u003eGadus morhua\u003c\/em\u003e) — depicted in profile, fins extended, tail fanned; the cod is shown with characteristic blunt snout, lateral line, and barbel visible beneath the chin, rendered in crisp relief against the plain field\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLettering: \u003cem\u003e1 KR\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOther Characteristics\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVarieties:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eKM#27 (non-magnetic)\u003c\/em\u003e; \u003cstrong\u003eKM#27a (magnetic) — this coin\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCatalog numbers:\u003c\/strong\u003e KM# 27a; Schön# 30a; SIEG# 27.2; Numista N#1549\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComposition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Nickel plated steel (magnetic)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 4.00 g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 21.50 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThickness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.70 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eShape:\u003c\/strong\u003e Round\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEdge:\u003c\/strong\u003e Reeded\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTechnique:\u003c\/strong\u003e Milled\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrientation:\u003c\/strong\u003e Medal alignment ↑↑\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIssuing entity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Central Bank of Iceland\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMint:\u003c\/strong\u003e Royal Mint, Llantrisant, United Kingdom (1968–date)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eYears issued:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1989–2011\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCurrency:\u003c\/strong\u003e New króna (1980–date)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOfficial language:\u003c\/strong\u003e Icelandic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAbout Iceland\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin of name:\u003c\/strong\u003e From Old Norse \u003cem\u003eÍsland\u003c\/em\u003e — \"Ice Land,\" named by Norse settler Hrafna-Flóki Vilgerðarson in the 9th century after seeing ice-filled fjords in the north\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCapital:\u003c\/strong\u003e Reykjavík (city pop. ~140,000; metro ~230,000)\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin of name:\u003c\/strong\u003e Old Norse \u003cem\u003eReykjavík\u003c\/em\u003e — \"Smoky Bay,\" named for the steam rising from geothermal hot springs seen by first settler Ingólfr Arnarson\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePopulation:\u003c\/strong\u003e ~380,000 (UN 2024) — comparable to New Orleans, LA\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArea:\u003c\/strong\u003e 103,000 km² (39,769 mi²) — comparable to Kentucky or Portugal\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGDP per capita (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Purchasing_power_parity\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ePPP\u003c\/a\u003e):\u003c\/strong\u003e ~$75,000 (one of the highest in the world)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMain exports:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fish and fish products, aluminum, ferrosilicon, diatomite, tourism\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBorders:\u003c\/strong\u003e Island nation — no land borders; surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and Arctic Ocean\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOfficial\/spoken language:\u003c\/strong\u003e Icelandic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEthnicities:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Icelanders\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eIcelanders\u003c\/a\u003e (~93%), other European and Asian minorities\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMemberships:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_Nations\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eUnited Nations\u003c\/a\u003e (1945); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/NATO\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eNATO\u003c\/a\u003e (founding member, 1949); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Council_of_Europe\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCouncil of Europe\u003c\/a\u003e (1949); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/European_Economic_Area\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eEEA\u003c\/a\u003e (1994); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Schengen_Area\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eSchengen Area\u003c\/a\u003e (2001)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSovereignty:\u003c\/strong\u003e Settlement by Norse Vikings (874 AD); Althing (parliament) established 930 AD — one of the world's oldest; Norwegian rule (1262–1397); Danish rule (1397–1944); Republic of Iceland declared June 17, 1944\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eIceland Unfiltered\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIceland has no standing army — it is one of only a handful of sovereign nations with no military forces\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDespite its name, Iceland is remarkably green, while Greenland is largely covered in ice — a deliberate Viking misdirection, some historians argue\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIceland runs almost entirely on renewable energy: ~100% of electricity from geothermal and hydropower\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Icelandic phone book is sorted by first name, not last — because Icelanders use a patronymic system, not hereditary surnames\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIceland has no mosquitoes — the climate and geology make it inhospitable to them\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe 2008 financial crisis hit Iceland harder per capita than almost any other country; three major banks collapsed, and the króna lost half its value — this very coin was circulating through that chaos\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Giant Who Guards the Mountain\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBergrisi\u003c\/strong\u003e — the Mountain Giant — is the \u003cem\u003eLandvættur\u003c\/em\u003e of the North, one of four supernatural guardians said to protect Iceland from all who approach with hostile intent. The story comes from the \u003cem\u003eHeimskringla\u003c\/em\u003e: when the Danish king Haraldr Gráfeldr sent a sorcerer to scout Iceland for invasion, each of the four spirits appeared and drove him back. Bergrisi emerged from the northern mountains, massive and terrible, a club in hand, flanked by a host of other giants. The invasion never came.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese four spirits — the eagle of the east, the dragon of the south, the bull of the west, and Bergrisi of the north — are so central to Icelandic identity that they appear on the \u003cstrong\u003ecoat of arms of Iceland\u003c\/strong\u003e to this day. Bergrisi alone was chosen for the obverse of the 1 króna coin, standing watch over the smallest denomination in the pocket of every Icelander for over two decades. \u003cstrong\u003eA guardian on a coin.\u003c\/strong\u003e There is something quietly powerful about that.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Fish That Built a Nation\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eAtlantic Cod\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eGadus morhua\u003c\/em\u003e) is not merely a fish on a coin — it is the reason Iceland exists as a prosperous modern state. For centuries, cod was Iceland's primary export, its economic engine, and the source of its geopolitical leverage. The \u003cstrong\u003eCod Wars\u003c\/strong\u003e of the 20th century — three separate confrontations between Iceland and the United Kingdom over fishing rights, from the 1950s through 1976 — were among the most consequential territorial disputes in postwar European history. Iceland, a nation of fewer than 250,000 people at the time, faced down a NATO ally and won, extending its exclusive fishing zone to 200 nautical miles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cod on the reverse of this coin is rendered with quiet dignity: blunt snout, distinctive chin barbel, fanned tail, the lateral line arcing cleanly across its flank. It is not decorative. It is a \u003cstrong\u003estatement of national identity\u003c\/strong\u003e — the same fish that fed Viking settlers, funded medieval trade with England, and gave Iceland the economic independence to declare a republic in 1944. Own this coin and you hold a small piece of that story.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Unbranded","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52109907886391,"sku":"ISKM27aU","price":1.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0969\/7165\/3431\/files\/KM27ao_59bc2f7b-f7b0-43cd-9f5f-c6abdb4325c1.jpg?v=1778327330"},{"product_id":"iceland-km-28a-5-kronur-coin-1996-2008-unc","title":"Iceland KM#28a 5 Kronur coin 1996-2008 UNC—Dolphins—4 Mythical Guardians of Iceland","description":"\u003ch3\u003eFront\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColors:\u003c\/strong\u003e silver-gray nickel engraving; plain steel background\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAll four traditional protector spirits (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Landv%C3%A6ttir\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eLandvættir\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e) of Iceland: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bergrisi\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBergrisi\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e the giant, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Icelandic_wyvern\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDreki\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e the dragon, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gammur\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGammur\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e the eagle, and \u003cstrong\u003eGriðungur\u003c\/strong\u003e the bull — depicted together in a single composition\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLettering: \u003cem\u003eFIMM KRÓNUR \/ ÍSLAND\u003c\/em\u003e (year varies)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eBack\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColors:\u003c\/strong\u003e silver-gray nickel engraving; plain steel background\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFace value \"5\" above two \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Common_dolphin\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCommon Dolphins\u003c\/a\u003e (\u003cem\u003eDelphinus delphis\u003c\/em\u003e) — depicted leaping in profile, bodies arched, beaks pointed forward; the pair is shown in dynamic symmetry, flukes trailing, rendered in crisp relief against the plain field\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLettering: \u003cem\u003e5 KR\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOther Characteristics\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVarieties:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eKM#28 (non-magnetic)\u003c\/em\u003e; \u003cstrong\u003eKM#28a (magnetic) — this coin\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCatalog numbers:\u003c\/strong\u003e KM# 28a; Schön# 31a; SIEG# 46.2; Numista N#1551\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComposition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Nickel plated steel (magnetic)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 5.60 g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 24.50 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThickness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.78 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eShape:\u003c\/strong\u003e Round\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEdge:\u003c\/strong\u003e Reeded\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTechnique:\u003c\/strong\u003e Milled\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrientation:\u003c\/strong\u003e Medal alignment ↑↑\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIssuing entity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Central Bank of Iceland\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMint:\u003c\/strong\u003e Royal Mint, Llantrisant, United Kingdom (1968–date)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eYears issued:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1996–2008\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCurrency:\u003c\/strong\u003e New króna (1980–date)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOfficial language:\u003c\/strong\u003e Icelandic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAbout Iceland\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin of name:\u003c\/strong\u003e From Old Norse \u003cem\u003eÍsland\u003c\/em\u003e — \"Ice Land,\" named by Norse settler Hrafna-Flóki Vilgerðarson in the 9th century after seeing ice-filled fjords in the north\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCapital:\u003c\/strong\u003e Reykjavík (city pop. ~140,000; metro ~230,000)\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin of name:\u003c\/strong\u003e Old Norse \u003cem\u003eReykjavík\u003c\/em\u003e — \"Smoky Bay,\" named for the steam rising from geothermal hot springs seen by first settler Ingólfr Arnarson\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePopulation:\u003c\/strong\u003e ~380,000 (UN 2024) — comparable to New Orleans, LA\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArea:\u003c\/strong\u003e 103,000 km² (39,769 mi²) — comparable to Kentucky or Portugal\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGDP per capita (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Purchasing_power_parity\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ePPP\u003c\/a\u003e):\u003c\/strong\u003e ~$75,000 (one of the highest in the world)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMain exports:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fish and fish products, aluminum, ferrosilicon, diatomite, tourism\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBorders:\u003c\/strong\u003e Island nation — no land borders; surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and Arctic Ocean\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOfficial\/spoken language:\u003c\/strong\u003e Icelandic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEthnicities:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Icelanders\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eIcelanders\u003c\/a\u003e (~93%), other European and Asian minorities\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMemberships:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_Nations\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eUnited Nations\u003c\/a\u003e (1945); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/NATO\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eNATO\u003c\/a\u003e (founding member, 1949); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Council_of_Europe\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCouncil of Europe\u003c\/a\u003e (1949); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/European_Economic_Area\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eEEA\u003c\/a\u003e (1994); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Schengen_Area\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eSchengen Area\u003c\/a\u003e (2001)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSovereignty:\u003c\/strong\u003e Settlement by Norse Vikings (874 AD); Althing (parliament) established 930 AD — one of the world's oldest; Norwegian rule (1262–1397); Danish rule (1397–1944); Republic of Iceland declared June 17, 1944\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eIceland Unfiltered\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIceland has no standing army — it is one of only a handful of sovereign nations with no military forces\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDespite its name, Iceland is remarkably green, while Greenland is largely covered in ice — a deliberate Viking misdirection, some historians argue\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIceland runs almost entirely on renewable energy: ~100% of electricity from geothermal and hydropower\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Icelandic phone book is sorted by first name, not last — because Icelanders use a patronymic system, not hereditary surnames\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIceland has no mosquitoes — the climate and geology make it inhospitable to them\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe 2008 financial crisis hit Iceland harder per capita than almost any other country; three major banks collapsed, and the króna lost half its value — this very coin was circulating through that chaos\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFour Guardians, One Coin\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 1 króna coin chose one guardian. The 5 krónur chose all four. On the obverse of this coin, the complete assembly of Iceland's \u003cem\u003eLandvættir\u003c\/em\u003e stands together: \u003cstrong\u003eBergrisi\u003c\/strong\u003e the mountain giant of the north, \u003cstrong\u003eDreki\u003c\/strong\u003e the dragon of the south, \u003cstrong\u003eGammur\u003c\/strong\u003e the great eagle of the east, and \u003cstrong\u003eGriðungur\u003c\/strong\u003e the bull of the west. Together they form the \u003cstrong\u003ecoat of arms of Iceland\u003c\/strong\u003e — four supernatural sentinels who, according to the \u003cem\u003eHeimskringla\u003c\/em\u003e, turned back a Danish sorcerer sent to scout the island for invasion. Each spirit appeared in its region and drove him into the sea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat this full pantheon appears on the 5 krónur — a coin that passed through millions of Icelandic hands from 1996 to 2008 — is a quiet act of national pride. Iceland is a small country that has never forgotten its mythology. \u003cstrong\u003eEvery transaction was a reminder of who was watching.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Dolphins of the North Atlantic\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eCommon Dolphin\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eDelphinus delphis\u003c\/em\u003e) is not the animal most people associate with Iceland — but it is a genuine presence in Icelandic waters, part of the rich marine ecosystem that has sustained the island for over a thousand years. On the reverse of this coin, two dolphins leap in tandem, bodies arched in mid-flight, a composition that conveys speed, intelligence, and the wild energy of the open ocean.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIceland's relationship with the sea is total. The dolphins here are not decorative — they represent the broader marine world that surrounds and defines the island: the same waters that carried Viking longships, sustained generations of fishermen, and made Iceland wealthy enough to punch far above its weight on the world stage. \u003cstrong\u003eOwn this coin and you hold the whole ocean in miniature\u003c\/strong\u003e — the guardians above, the sea below, and a nation that has always known exactly where it stands.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Unbranded","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52109914243383,"sku":"ISKM28aU","price":1.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0969\/7165\/3431\/files\/KM28ar.jpg?v=1778328012"},{"product_id":"iceland-km-29-1a-10-kronur-coin-1996-2008-unc","title":"Iceland KM#29.1a 10 Kronur coin 1996-2008 UNC—Giant, Dragon, Eagle, Bull, Fish","description":"\u003ch3\u003eFront\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColors:\u003c\/strong\u003e silver-gray nickel engraving; plain steel background\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAll four traditional protector spirits (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Landv%C3%A6ttir\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eLandvættir\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e) of Iceland: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bergrisi\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBergrisi\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e the giant, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Icelandic_wyvern\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDreki\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e the dragon, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gammur\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGammur\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e the eagle, and \u003cstrong\u003eGriðungur\u003c\/strong\u003e the bull — depicted together in a single composition\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLettering: \u003cem\u003eTÍU KRÓNUR \/ ÍSLAND\u003c\/em\u003e (year varies)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eBack\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColors:\u003c\/strong\u003e silver-gray nickel engraving; plain steel background\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFace value \"10\" above four \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Capelin\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCapelin\u003c\/a\u003e fish (\u003cem\u003eMallotus villosus\u003c\/em\u003e) — depicted in a radial arrangement, bodies curved and overlapping, fins detailed; the quartet conveys the dense schooling behavior of this small but economically vital species, rendered in crisp relief against the plain field\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLettering: \u003cem\u003e10 KR\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOther Characteristics\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVarieties:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eKM#29.1 (non-magnetic)\u003c\/em\u003e; \u003cstrong\u003eKM#29.1a (magnetic) — this coin\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCatalog numbers:\u003c\/strong\u003e KM# 29.1a; Schön# 32a; SIEG# 56.2; Numista N#7912\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComposition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Nickel plated steel (magnetic)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 6.90 g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 27.50 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThickness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.78 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eShape:\u003c\/strong\u003e Round\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEdge:\u003c\/strong\u003e Reeded\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTechnique:\u003c\/strong\u003e Milled\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrientation:\u003c\/strong\u003e Medal alignment ↑↑\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIssuing entity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Central Bank of Iceland\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMint:\u003c\/strong\u003e Royal Mint, Llantrisant, United Kingdom (1968–date)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eYears issued:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1996–2008\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCurrency:\u003c\/strong\u003e New króna (1980–date)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOfficial language:\u003c\/strong\u003e Icelandic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAbout Iceland\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin of name:\u003c\/strong\u003e From Old Norse \u003cem\u003eÍsland\u003c\/em\u003e — \"Ice Land,\" named by Norse settler Hrafna-Flóki Vilgerðarson in the 9th century after seeing ice-filled fjords in the north\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCapital:\u003c\/strong\u003e Reykjavík (city pop. ~140,000; metro ~230,000)\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin of name:\u003c\/strong\u003e Old Norse \u003cem\u003eReykjavík\u003c\/em\u003e — \"Smoky Bay,\" named for the steam rising from geothermal hot springs seen by first settler Ingólfr Arnarson\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePopulation:\u003c\/strong\u003e ~380,000 (UN 2024) — comparable to New Orleans, LA\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArea:\u003c\/strong\u003e 103,000 km² (39,769 mi²) — comparable to Kentucky or Portugal\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGDP per capita (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Purchasing_power_parity\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ePPP\u003c\/a\u003e):\u003c\/strong\u003e ~$75,000 (one of the highest in the world)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMain exports:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fish and fish products, aluminum, ferrosilicon, diatomite, tourism\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBorders:\u003c\/strong\u003e Island nation — no land borders; surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and Arctic Ocean\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOfficial\/spoken language:\u003c\/strong\u003e Icelandic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEthnicities:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Icelanders\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eIcelanders\u003c\/a\u003e (~93%), other European and Asian minorities\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMemberships:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_Nations\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eUnited Nations\u003c\/a\u003e (1945); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/NATO\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eNATO\u003c\/a\u003e (founding member, 1949); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Council_of_Europe\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCouncil of Europe\u003c\/a\u003e (1949); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/European_Economic_Area\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eEEA\u003c\/a\u003e (1994); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Schengen_Area\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eSchengen Area\u003c\/a\u003e (2001)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSovereignty:\u003c\/strong\u003e Settlement by Norse Vikings (874 AD); Althing (parliament) established 930 AD — one of the world's oldest; Norwegian rule (1262–1397); Danish rule (1397–1944); Republic of Iceland declared June 17, 1944\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eIceland Unfiltered\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIceland has no standing army — it is one of only a handful of sovereign nations with no military forces\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDespite its name, Iceland is remarkably green, while Greenland is largely covered in ice — a deliberate Viking misdirection, some historians argue\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIceland runs almost entirely on renewable energy: ~100% of electricity from geothermal and hydropower\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Icelandic phone book is sorted by first name, not last — because Icelanders use a patronymic system, not hereditary surnames\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIceland has no mosquitoes — the climate and geology make it inhospitable to them\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe 2008 financial crisis hit Iceland harder per capita than almost any other country; three major banks collapsed, and the króna lost half its value — this very coin was circulating through that chaos\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFour Guardians, One Coin\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 1 króna coin chose one guardian. The 10 krónur chose all four. On the obverse of this coin, the complete assembly of Iceland’s \u003cem\u003eLandvættir\u003c\/em\u003e stands together: \u003cstrong\u003eBergrisi\u003c\/strong\u003e the mountain giant of the north, \u003cstrong\u003eDreki\u003c\/strong\u003e the dragon of the south, \u003cstrong\u003eGammur\u003c\/strong\u003e the great eagle of the east, and \u003cstrong\u003eGriðungur\u003c\/strong\u003e the bull of the west. Together they form the \u003cstrong\u003ecoat of arms of Iceland\u003c\/strong\u003e — four supernatural sentinels who, according to the \u003cem\u003eHeimskringla\u003c\/em\u003e, turned back a Danish sorcerer sent to scout the island for invasion. Each spirit appeared in its region and drove him into the sea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat this full pantheon appears on the 10 krónur — a coin that passed through millions of Icelandic hands from 1996 to 2008 — is a quiet act of national pride. Iceland is a small country that has never forgotten its mythology. \u003cstrong\u003eEvery transaction was a reminder of who was watching.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Capelin: Iceland’s Unsung Engine\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eCapelin\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eMallotus villosus\u003c\/em\u003e) is not a glamorous fish. It is small — rarely more than 20 cm — and it travels in schools so vast they can be detected by sonar from miles away. But in the ecology of the North Atlantic, and in the economy of Iceland, it is indispensable. Capelin is a critical forage fish: it feeds cod, haddock, seabirds, and whales, forming a linchpin of the entire marine food web. It is also harvested directly — for fishmeal, fish oil, and roe — and has been one of Iceland’s significant export species for decades.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFour capelin circle the reverse of this coin in a tight, schooling arrangement — a design choice that is almost ecological in its accuracy. These fish do not swim alone. They move in masses, in currents, in the cold dark water beneath the same skies that the \u003cem\u003eLandvættir\u003c\/em\u003e watch over above. \u003cstrong\u003eOwn this coin and you hold both worlds\u003c\/strong\u003e — the mythological and the biological, the guardian and the fish that keeps the ocean alive.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Unbranded","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52109929742647,"sku":"ISKM29.1aU","price":1.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0969\/7165\/3431\/files\/KM29.1ao.jpg?v=1778328387"},{"product_id":"iceland-3-piece-coin-set-1-5-10-kronur-km-27a-28a-29-1a-unc","title":"Iceland 3 piece Coin Set 1 5 10 Kronur KM#27a 28a 29.1a XF","description":"\u003cp\u003eIceland’s circulation coinage tells two stories at once. On one side: the mythology — the ancient guardian spirits who, according to Norse legend, turned back invaders and still appear on the national coat of arms today. On the other: the sea — the cod, the dolphin, the capelin — the marine world that has fed, funded, and defined Iceland for over a thousand years. This three-coin set brings both stories together in a single package, spanning the 1 króna, 5 krónur, and 10 krónur denominations, all in the magnetic nickel plated steel composition introduced in the 1980s and minted at the \u003cstrong\u003eRoyal Mint, Llantrisant, United Kingdom\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll three coins are \u003cb\u003eExtra Fine (XF) \u003c\/b\u003econdition. Combined weight: 16.50 g.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e1 Króna — KM#27a\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eObverse:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bergrisi\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eBergrisi\u003c\/a\u003e the giant, \u003cem\u003eLandvættur\u003c\/em\u003e of the North — one of Iceland’s four mythological protector spirits. Lettering: \u003cem\u003eEIN KRÓNA \/ ÍSLAND\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReverse:\u003c\/strong\u003e Face value above an \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Atlantic_cod\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAtlantic Cod\u003c\/a\u003e (\u003cem\u003eGadus morhua\u003c\/em\u003e) — blunt snout, chin barbel, fanned tail, lateral line in crisp relief. Lettering: \u003cem\u003e1 KR\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComposition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Nickel plated steel (magnetic)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 4.00 g  |  \u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 21.50 mm  |  \u003cstrong\u003eThickness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.70 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEdge:\u003c\/strong\u003e Reeded  |  \u003cstrong\u003eOrientation:\u003c\/strong\u003e Medal alignment ↑↑\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eYears issued:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1989–2011\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCatalog numbers:\u003c\/strong\u003e KM# 27a; Schön# 30a; SIEG# 27.2; Numista N#1549\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e5 Krónur — KM#28a\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eObverse:\u003c\/strong\u003e All four \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Landv%C3%A6ttir\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eLandvættir\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e together — \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bergrisi\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eBergrisi\u003c\/a\u003e the giant, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Icelandic_wyvern\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eDreki\u003c\/a\u003e the dragon, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gammur\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eGammur\u003c\/a\u003e the eagle, and Griðungur the bull — the full coat of arms of Iceland. Lettering: \u003cem\u003eFIMM KRÓNUR \/ ÍSLAND\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReverse:\u003c\/strong\u003e Face value above two \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Common_dolphin\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCommon Dolphins\u003c\/a\u003e (\u003cem\u003eDelphinus delphis\u003c\/em\u003e) — leaping in profile, bodies arched in dynamic symmetry, flukes trailing. Lettering: \u003cem\u003e5 KR\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComposition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Nickel plated steel (magnetic)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 5.60 g  |  \u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 24.50 mm  |  \u003cstrong\u003eThickness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.78 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEdge:\u003c\/strong\u003e Reeded  |  \u003cstrong\u003eOrientation:\u003c\/strong\u003e Medal alignment ↑↑\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eYears issued:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1996–2008\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCatalog numbers:\u003c\/strong\u003e KM# 28a; Schön# 31a; SIEG# 46.2; Numista N#1551\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e10 Krónur — KM#29.1a\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eObverse:\u003c\/strong\u003e All four \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Landv%C3%A6ttir\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eLandvættir\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e together — the same guardian composition as the 5 krónur, Iceland’s mythological coat of arms in full. Lettering: \u003cem\u003eTÍU KRÓNUR \/ ÍSLAND\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReverse:\u003c\/strong\u003e Face value above four \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Capelin\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCapelin\u003c\/a\u003e fish (\u003cem\u003eMallotus villosus\u003c\/em\u003e) — arranged in a schooling composition, bodies curved and overlapping, a linchpin species of the North Atlantic food web. Lettering: \u003cem\u003e10 KR\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComposition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Nickel plated steel (magnetic)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 6.90 g  |  \u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 27.50 mm  |  \u003cstrong\u003eThickness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.78 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEdge:\u003c\/strong\u003e Reeded  |  \u003cstrong\u003eOrientation:\u003c\/strong\u003e Medal alignment ↑↑\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eYears issued:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1996–2008\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCatalog numbers:\u003c\/strong\u003e KM# 29.1a; Schön# 32a; SIEG# 56.2; Numista N#7912\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Landvættir: Iceland’s Four Guardians\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Landv%C3%A6ttir\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eLandvættir\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e — “land spirits” in Old Norse — are the four supernatural protectors of Iceland, each assigned to a cardinal direction and a natural form. The story of their power comes from the \u003cem\u003eHeimskringla\u003c\/em\u003e, the 13th-century Norse chronicle: when the Danish king Haraldr Gráfeldr sent a sorcerer in the shape of a whale to scout Iceland for invasion, each spirit appeared in turn and drove him back.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bergrisi\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eBergrisi\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e — the Mountain Giant of the \u003cstrong\u003eNorth\u003c\/strong\u003e. Emerged from the mountains, massive and terrible, club in hand, flanked by a host of other giants.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gammur\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eGammur\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e — the Great Eagle of the \u003cstrong\u003eEast\u003c\/strong\u003e. Appeared with wings spread so wide they touched the mountains on either side.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGriðungur\u003c\/strong\u003e — the Bull of the \u003cstrong\u003eWest\u003c\/strong\u003e. Waded into the sea and bellowed so fiercely the sorcerer could not pass.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Icelandic_wyvern\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eDreki\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e — the Dragon of the \u003cstrong\u003eSouth\u003c\/strong\u003e. Flew overhead breathing fire, followed by a swarm of serpents.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe invasion never came. Today all four appear on the \u003cstrong\u003ecoat of arms of Iceland\u003c\/strong\u003e — and on the obverse of the 5 and 10 krónur coins in this set. Bergrisi alone guards the 1 króna, standing watch over the smallest denomination as he once stood watch over the northern shore.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Sea on the Reverse: Cod, Dolphin, and Capelin\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach coin in this set carries a different creature from Icelandic waters on its reverse — and together they form a portrait of the North Atlantic ecosystem that has sustained Iceland since the first Norse settlers arrived in 874 AD.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Atlantic_cod\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAtlantic Cod\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eGadus morhua\u003c\/em\u003e) on the 1 króna is the most historically charged of the three. Cod built Iceland’s medieval economy, sustained its population through centuries of Danish rule, and triggered the \u003cstrong\u003eCod Wars\u003c\/strong\u003e — three confrontations with the United Kingdom from the 1950s through 1976 — that Iceland won, securing a 200-nautical-mile exclusive fishing zone and establishing itself as a sovereign force in international maritime law. The \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Common_dolphin\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCommon Dolphin\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eDelphinus delphis\u003c\/em\u003e) on the 5 krónur represents the warmer, wilder side of Icelandic waters — two animals leaping in tandem, a design full of kinetic energy and oceanic freedom. And the \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Capelin\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCapelin\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eMallotus villosus\u003c\/em\u003e) on the 10 krónur — four fish schooling in tight formation — is the unsung engine of the food web: small, abundant, and critical to everything above it in the chain, from cod to seabirds to whales.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree reverses. Three species. One ocean. \u003cstrong\u003eThe sea that made Iceland is the sea on these coins.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAbout the Issuer\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIssuing entity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Central Bank of Iceland\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMint:\u003c\/strong\u003e Royal Mint, Llantrisant, United Kingdom (1968–date)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCurrency:\u003c\/strong\u003e New króna (1980–date)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCountry:\u003c\/strong\u003e Republic of Iceland (1944–date)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree coins. Three fish. Four guardians. One island that has always punched above its weight — mythologically, ecologically, and economically. \u003cstrong\u003eOwn the set.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Unbranded","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52109935575351,"sku":"IS-KM-SET3-1-5-10U","price":2.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0969\/7165\/3431\/files\/KM-set-3pc.jpg?v=1778329655"},{"product_id":"iceland-p-59-1000-kronur-2001-2009-unc-sig-mg-gudmundsson-sveinsson-cathedral","title":"Iceland P-59(6) 1000 Kronur 2001 (2009) UNC sig. MG—Cathedral","description":"\u003cp\u003eOne of the most historically resonant notes in Iceland’s modern series — the 1000 Krónur pairs the towering figure of \u003cstrong\u003eBishop Brynjólfur Sveinsson\u003c\/strong\u003e, the man who saved Iceland’s medieval literary heritage, with the cathedral he presided over at \u003cstrong\u003eSkálholt\u003c\/strong\u003e, for centuries the spiritual and intellectual capital of Iceland. The “no border” variety of this note also introduced a suite of advanced security features that set it apart from its predecessor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFront\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColors:\u003c\/strong\u003e yellow-gold background; brown engraving dominant; purple accents\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHalf-figure portrait of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Brynj%C3%B3lfur_Sveinsson\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBrynjólfur Sveinsson\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e (1605–1675), \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bishop_of_Sk%C3%A1lholt\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eLutheran Bishop of Skálholt\u003c\/a\u003e, to the right; value to the left and top left\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBottom left: law of issue, signatures, and bank name\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLettering: \u003cem\u003eSAMKVÆT LÖGUM NR.36 \/ 22. MAI 2001 \/ SEÐLABANKI ÍSLANDS \/ EITT ÞÚSUND KRÓNUR\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSignatures:\u003c\/strong\u003e See varieties below — multiple signature combinations issued 2004–2009\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDesigners:\u003c\/strong\u003e Kristín Þorkelsdóttir; Stephen Alan Fairbairn\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eBack\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColors:\u003c\/strong\u003e yellow-gold background; brown engraving dominant; purple accents\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sk%C3%A1lholt\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eSkálholt Cathedral\u003c\/a\u003e as it appeared in the 17th century — depicted from the side with church decorative elements behind; the cathedral was the seat of the Bishop of Skálholt and the most important ecclesiastical site in Iceland for over 700 years\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLettering: \u003cem\u003e1000\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDesigners:\u003c\/strong\u003e Kristín Þorkelsdóttir; Stephen Alan Fairbairn\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOther Characteristics\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVarieties:\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003e2001-May-22 (2004) BÍG, EG\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003e2001-May-22 (2004–2006) BÍG, JS\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003e2001-May-22 (2005–2006) DO, JS\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003e2001-May-22 (2005–2009) DO, EG\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003e2001-May-22 (2009) MG \u003cstrong\u003e\u0026lt;-- this note\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003e2001-May-22 (2009) SHØ\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCatalog numbers:\u003c\/strong\u003e P-59; SIEG SD# 69; Numista N#203072\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWatermark:\u003c\/strong\u003e Portrait of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/J%C3%B3n_Sigur%C3%B0sson\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eJón Sigurðsson\u003c\/a\u003e, leader of the 19th-century Icelandic independence movement, at left (viewed from obverse); cornerstone watermarks on all four corners\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComposition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Paper\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 150.5 × 70 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIssuing entity:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Central_Bank_of_Iceland\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCentral Bank of Iceland\u003c\/a\u003e (Seðlabanki Íslands)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrinter:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/De_La_Rue\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eDe La Rue\u003c\/a\u003e, London, United Kingdom (1821–date)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDemonetized:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Demonetization_(currency)\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eYes\u003c\/a\u003e — superseded by subsequent series\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSignatures:\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dav%C3%AD%C3%B0_Oddsson\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eDavíð Oddsson\u003c\/a\u003e (DO) — Gov.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Eir%C3%ADkur_Gu%C3%B0nason\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eEiríkur Guðnason\u003c\/a\u003e (EG) — Gov.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJón Sigurðsson (JS) — Bank manager\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBirgir Ísleifur Gunnarsson (BÍG) — Gov.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/M%C3%A1r_Gu%C3%B0mundsson\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eMár Guðmundsson\u003c\/a\u003e (MG) — Governor\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSvein Harald Øygard (SHØ) — Interim Governor\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCurrency:\u003c\/strong\u003e New króna (1980–date)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOfficial language:\u003c\/strong\u003e Icelandic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAbout Iceland\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin of name:\u003c\/strong\u003e From Old Norse \u003cem\u003eÍsland\u003c\/em\u003e — \"Ice Land,\" named by Norse settler Hrafna-Flóki Vilgerðarson in the 9th century after seeing ice-filled fjords in the north\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCapital:\u003c\/strong\u003e Reykjavík (city pop. ~140,000; metro ~230,000)\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin of name:\u003c\/strong\u003e Old Norse \u003cem\u003eReykjavík\u003c\/em\u003e — \"Smoky Bay,\" named for the steam rising from geothermal hot springs seen by first settler Ingólfr Arnarson\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePopulation:\u003c\/strong\u003e ~380,000 (UN 2024) — comparable to New Orleans, LA\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArea:\u003c\/strong\u003e 103,000 km² (39,769 mi²) — comparable to Kentucky or Portugal\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGDP per capita (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Purchasing_power_parity\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ePPP\u003c\/a\u003e):\u003c\/strong\u003e ~$75,000 (one of the highest in the world)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMain exports:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fish and fish products, aluminum, ferrosilicon, diatomite, tourism\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBorders:\u003c\/strong\u003e Island nation — no land borders; surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and Arctic Ocean\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOfficial\/spoken language:\u003c\/strong\u003e Icelandic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEthnicities:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Icelanders\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eIcelanders\u003c\/a\u003e (~93%), other European and Asian minorities\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMemberships:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_Nations\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eUnited Nations\u003c\/a\u003e (1945); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/NATO\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eNATO\u003c\/a\u003e (founding member, 1949); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Council_of_Europe\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCouncil of Europe\u003c\/a\u003e (1949); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/European_Economic_Area\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eEEA\u003c\/a\u003e (1994); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Schengen_Area\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eSchengen Area\u003c\/a\u003e (2001)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSovereignty:\u003c\/strong\u003e Settlement by Norse Vikings (874 AD); Althing established 930 AD — one of the world’s oldest parliaments; Norwegian rule (1262–1397); Danish rule (1397–1944); Republic of Iceland declared June 17, 1944\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eIceland Unfiltered\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIceland has no standing army — one of only a handful of sovereign nations with no military forces\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDespite its name, Iceland is remarkably green, while Greenland is largely covered in ice — a deliberate Viking misdirection, some historians argue\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIceland runs almost entirely on renewable energy: ~100% of electricity from geothermal and hydropower\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Icelandic phone book is sorted by first name, not last — because Icelanders use a patronymic system, not hereditary surnames\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIceland has no mosquitoes — the climate and geology make it inhospitable to them\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe 2008 financial crisis hit Iceland harder per capita than almost any other country; three major banks collapsed and the króna lost half its value — this very note was in circulation through that chaos\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Man Who Saved the Sagas\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBrynjólfur Sveinsson\u003c\/strong\u003e (1605–1675) was the Bishop of Skálholt from 1639 to 1674 — and one of the most consequential figures in Icelandic cultural history. At a time when Iceland’s medieval manuscripts were scattered, deteriorating, and at risk of being lost forever, Brynjólfur systematically collected and preserved them. Most famously, he acquired the \u003cstrong\u003eCodex Regius\u003c\/strong\u003e — the primary manuscript of the \u003cem\u003ePoetic Edda\u003c\/em\u003e, the foundational text of Norse mythology — and sent it as a gift to the Danish king in 1662, where it was preserved in the Royal Library in Copenhagen. Without Brynjólfur, much of what the world knows about Norse gods, heroes, and cosmology might not have survived.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe appears on this note in half-figure, composed and authoritative, the weight of his office and his legacy visible in the engraving. \u003cstrong\u003eA bishop who saved a mythology.\u003c\/strong\u003e That is who Iceland chose to put on its highest everyday denomination.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSkálholt: The Heart of Iceland for 700 Years\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSkálholt\u003c\/strong\u003e was the ecclesiastical capital of Iceland from 1056 to 1785 — longer than the United States has existed. It was the seat of the Bishop of Skálholt, the site of Iceland’s first school (founded in the 11th century), and the center of religious, legal, and intellectual life on the island for the entire medieval period. The cathedral depicted on the reverse is the 17th-century structure that stood during Brynjólfur’s tenure — a building that represented the full weight of Icelandic civilization at its most concentrated.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToday Skálholt is a small village. The modern cathedral, rebuilt in 1963, draws pilgrims and tourists. But on this banknote, it is restored to its historical grandeur — rendered in brown and gold, seen from the side, with decorative elements framing it like an illuminated manuscript. \u003cstrong\u003eOwn this note and you hold a piece of Iceland’s spiritual and literary memory.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSecurity Features: The “No Border” Series\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis variety — distinguished by the \u003cstrong\u003eabsence of a white top and bottom border\u003c\/strong\u003e that appeared on the earlier 1000 Krónur series — also introduced a significant upgrade in security technology. The note features a \u003cstrong\u003esegmented security thread\u003c\/strong\u003e with six visible foil segments on the obverse, containing the inscription “1000KR” continuously repeated when held to backlight. \u003cstrong\u003eUV-reactive ink\u003c\/strong\u003e is present on the obverse. A \u003cstrong\u003ehidden latent image\u003c\/strong\u003e — the abbreviation “SÍ” for Seðlabanki Íslands — appears in the black space to the right of the cathedral door on the reverse when the note is tilted or examined closely. Additional machine-readable features are embedded throughout.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese are not merely anti-counterfeiting measures — they are a record of where banknote technology stood in the early 2000s, and a reminder that even a small island nation invests seriously in the integrity of its currency.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Unbranded","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52109957398839,"sku":"IS59(6)U","price":17.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0969\/7165\/3431\/files\/59or.jpg?v=1778330701"},{"product_id":"iceland-km-31-50-krona-coin-1987-2005-unc","title":"Iceland KM#31 SCARCE 50 Kronur coin 1987-2005 XF—Crab—Giant—Dragon","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe 50 Krónur is the golden coin of Iceland’s circulation series — literally. Cast in warm nickel brass rather than the steel of the lower denominations, it catches the light differently, carries more weight in the hand, and features one of the most unexpected reverse subjects in Icelandic numismatics: the \u003cstrong\u003eShore Crab\u003c\/strong\u003e. On the obverse, all four \u003cem\u003eLandvættir\u003c\/em\u003e stand guard together. This is a coin that rewards a second look.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eFront\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColors:\u003c\/strong\u003e warm golden-brass engraving; brass background\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAll four traditional protector spirits (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Landv%C3%A6ttir\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eLandvættir\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e) of Iceland: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bergrisi\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBergrisi\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e the giant, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Icelandic_wyvern\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDreki\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e the dragon, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gammur\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGammur\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e the eagle, and \u003cstrong\u003eGriðungur\u003c\/strong\u003e the bull — depicted together in a single composition, the full coat of arms of Iceland\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLettering: \u003cem\u003eFIMMTÍU KRÓNUR \/ ÍSLAND\u003c\/em\u003e (year varies)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eBack\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColors:\u003c\/strong\u003e warm golden-brass engraving; brass background\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFace value \"50\" below a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/European_green_crab\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eShore Crab\u003c\/a\u003e (\u003cem\u003eCarcinus maenas\u003c\/em\u003e) — depicted from above in dorsal view, carapace detailed, claws extended outward, legs splayed; the crab’s broad, fan-shaped shell and characteristic five lateral spines are rendered in crisp relief\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLettering: \u003cem\u003e50 KR\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eOther Characteristics\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVarieties:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eKM#31 — this coin\u003c\/strong\u003e (no magnetic variety)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCatalog numbers:\u003c\/strong\u003e KM# 31; Schön# 33; SIEG# 66; Numista N#1550\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComposition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Nickel brass (70% Copper, 24.5% Zinc, 5.5% Nickel)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 8.25 g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 23.00 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThickness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2.60 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eShape:\u003c\/strong\u003e Round\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEdge:\u003c\/strong\u003e Reeded\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTechnique:\u003c\/strong\u003e Milled\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrientation:\u003c\/strong\u003e Medal alignment ↑↑\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIssuing entity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Central Bank of Iceland\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMint:\u003c\/strong\u003e Royal Mint, Llantrisant, United Kingdom (1968–date)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eYears issued:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1987–2005\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCurrency:\u003c\/strong\u003e New króna (1980–date)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOfficial language:\u003c\/strong\u003e Icelandic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eAbout Iceland\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin of name:\u003c\/strong\u003e From Old Norse \u003cem\u003eÍsland\u003c\/em\u003e — \"Ice Land,\" named by Norse settler Hrafna-Flóki Vilgerðarson in the 9th century after seeing ice-filled fjords in the north\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCapital:\u003c\/strong\u003e Reykjavík (city pop. ~140,000; metro ~230,000)\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin of name:\u003c\/strong\u003e Old Norse \u003cem\u003eReykjavík\u003c\/em\u003e — \"Smoky Bay,\" named for the steam rising from geothermal hot springs seen by first settler Ingólfr Arnarson\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePopulation:\u003c\/strong\u003e ~380,000 (UN 2024) — comparable to New Orleans, LA\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArea:\u003c\/strong\u003e 103,000 km² (39,769 mi²) — comparable to Kentucky or Portugal\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGDP per capita (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Purchasing_power_parity\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ePPP\u003c\/a\u003e):\u003c\/strong\u003e ~$75,000 (one of the highest in the world)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMain exports:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fish and fish products, aluminum, ferrosilicon, diatomite, tourism\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBorders:\u003c\/strong\u003e Island nation — no land borders; surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and Arctic Ocean\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOfficial\/spoken language:\u003c\/strong\u003e Icelandic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEthnicities:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Icelanders\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eIcelanders\u003c\/a\u003e (~93%), other European and Asian minorities\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMemberships:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_Nations\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eUnited Nations\u003c\/a\u003e (1945); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/NATO\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eNATO\u003c\/a\u003e (founding member, 1949); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Council_of_Europe\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCouncil of Europe\u003c\/a\u003e (1949); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/European_Economic_Area\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eEEA\u003c\/a\u003e (1994); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Schengen_Area\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eSchengen Area\u003c\/a\u003e (2001)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSovereignty:\u003c\/strong\u003e Settlement by Norse Vikings (874 AD); Althing (parliament) established 930 AD — one of the world’s oldest; Norwegian rule (1262–1397); Danish rule (1397–1944); Republic of Iceland declared June 17, 1944\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eIceland Unfiltered\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIceland has no standing army — it is one of only a handful of sovereign nations with no military forces\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDespite its name, Iceland is remarkably green, while Greenland is largely covered in ice — a deliberate Viking misdirection, some historians argue\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIceland runs almost entirely on renewable energy: ~100% of electricity from geothermal and hydropower\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Icelandic phone book is sorted by first name, not last — because Icelanders use a patronymic system, not hereditary surnames\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIceland has no mosquitoes — the climate and geology make it inhospitable to them\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe 2008 financial crisis hit Iceland harder per capita than almost any other country; three major banks collapsed, and the króna lost half its value — this very coin was circulating through that chaos\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFour Guardians, One Coin\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 50 Krónur shares its obverse with the 5 and 10 Krónur — all four \u003cem\u003eLandvættir\u003c\/em\u003e assembled together, the complete mythological coat of arms of Iceland. \u003cstrong\u003eBergrisi\u003c\/strong\u003e the mountain giant of the north, \u003cstrong\u003eDreki\u003c\/strong\u003e the dragon of the south, \u003cstrong\u003eGammur\u003c\/strong\u003e the great eagle of the east, \u003cstrong\u003eGriðungur\u003c\/strong\u003e the bull of the west. According to the \u003cem\u003eHeimskringla\u003c\/em\u003e, these four spirits turned back a Danish sorcerer sent to scout Iceland for invasion, each appearing in its region and driving him into the sea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat sets the 50 Krónur apart is what it’s made of. Where the lower denominations are steel, this coin is \u003cstrong\u003enickel brass\u003c\/strong\u003e — a warm, golden alloy of copper, zinc, and nickel that gives it a distinctly different weight and color. In the hand, it feels like the denomination it represents: substantial. \u003cstrong\u003eThe guardians look better in gold.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Crab Nobody Expected\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOf all the creatures Iceland could have put on its 50 Krónur, the \u003cstrong\u003eShore Crab\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eCarcinus maenas\u003c\/em\u003e) is perhaps the most surprising. It is not a fish. It is not a whale. It is not a seabird. It is a crab — small, sideways-walking, armored, and utterly at home in the cold intertidal zones of the North Atlantic. And yet there it is, rendered in careful detail on the reverse of Iceland’s highest everyday circulation coin for nearly two decades.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCarcinus maenas\u003c\/em\u003e is one of the most widely distributed crustaceans in the world — native to European and North African coastlines, and now an invasive species on nearly every other continent, carried in ballast water and on ship hulls. In Icelandic waters it is a genuine presence, part of the intertidal ecosystem that lines the island’s volcanic shores. On this coin it is shown from above, carapace spread, claws wide, legs splayed — a creature that looks like it owns the rock it stands on. \u003cstrong\u003eOwn this coin and you hold the whole Icelandic shoreline in miniature\u003c\/strong\u003e — the guardians above, the sea creature below, and a nation that has always known its coast is its identity.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Unbranded","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52110287405367,"sku":"ISKM31U","price":7.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0969\/7165\/3431\/files\/KM31r.jpg?v=1778333241"},{"product_id":"iceland-km-35-scarce-50-krona-coin-1995-2011-unc","title":"Iceland KM#35 100 Kronur coin 1995-2011 XF—Guardians—Lumpfish","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe 100 Krónur is the largest denomination in Iceland’s everyday circulation series — and it earns its place. Cast in warm nickel brass, with a distinctive alternating smooth-and-reeded edge that sets it apart from every other coin in the set, it carries all four \u003cem\u003eLandvættir\u003c\/em\u003e on the obverse and one of the most peculiar fish in the North Atlantic on the reverse: the \u003cstrong\u003eLumpfish\u003c\/strong\u003e. This is a coin for collectors who appreciate the unexpected.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eFront\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColors:\u003c\/strong\u003e warm golden-brass engraving; brass background\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAll four traditional protector spirits (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Landv%C3%A6ttir\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eLandvættir\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e) of Iceland: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bergrisi\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBergrisi\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e the giant, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Icelandic_wyvern\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDreki\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e the dragon, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gammur\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGammur\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e the eagle, and \u003cstrong\u003eGriðungur\u003c\/strong\u003e the bull — depicted together in a single composition, the full coat of arms of Iceland\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLettering: \u003cem\u003eEITT HUNDRÆÐ KRÓNUR \/ ÍSLAND\u003c\/em\u003e (year varies)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eBack\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColors:\u003c\/strong\u003e warm golden-brass engraving; brass background\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFace value \"100\" below a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lumpfish\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eLumpfish\u003c\/a\u003e (\u003cem\u003eCyclopterus lumpus\u003c\/em\u003e) — depicted in profile, its distinctive lumpy, scaleless body and prominent dorsal ridge visible; the suction disc on the underside, used to anchor itself to rocks in turbulent water, is characteristic of the species; rendered in crisp relief\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLettering: \u003cem\u003e100 KR\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eOther Characteristics\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVarieties:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eKM#35 — this coin\u003c\/strong\u003e (no magnetic variety)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCatalog numbers:\u003c\/strong\u003e KM# 35; Schön# 34; SIEG# 80; Numista N#1547\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComposition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Nickel brass (70% Copper, 24.5% Zinc, 5.5% Nickel)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 8.50 g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 25.50 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThickness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2.25 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eShape:\u003c\/strong\u003e Round\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEdge:\u003c\/strong\u003e Smooth and reeded alternately\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTechnique:\u003c\/strong\u003e Milled\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrientation:\u003c\/strong\u003e Medal alignment ↑↑\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIssuing entity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Central Bank of Iceland\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMint:\u003c\/strong\u003e Royal Mint, Llantrisant, United Kingdom (1968–date)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eYears issued:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1995–2011\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCurrency:\u003c\/strong\u003e New króna (1980–date)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOfficial language:\u003c\/strong\u003e Icelandic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eAbout Iceland\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin of name:\u003c\/strong\u003e From Old Norse \u003cem\u003eÍsland\u003c\/em\u003e — \"Ice Land,\" named by Norse settler Hrafna-Flóki Vilgerðarson in the 9th century after seeing ice-filled fjords in the north\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCapital:\u003c\/strong\u003e Reykjavík (city pop. ~140,000; metro ~230,000)\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin of name:\u003c\/strong\u003e Old Norse \u003cem\u003eReykjavík\u003c\/em\u003e — \"Smoky Bay,\" named for the steam rising from geothermal hot springs seen by first settler Ingólfr Arnarson\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePopulation:\u003c\/strong\u003e ~380,000 (UN 2024) — comparable to New Orleans, LA\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArea:\u003c\/strong\u003e 103,000 km² (39,769 mi²) — comparable to Kentucky or Portugal\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGDP per capita (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Purchasing_power_parity\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ePPP\u003c\/a\u003e):\u003c\/strong\u003e ~$75,000 (one of the highest in the world)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMain exports:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fish and fish products, aluminum, ferrosilicon, diatomite, tourism\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBorders:\u003c\/strong\u003e Island nation — no land borders; surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and Arctic Ocean\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOfficial\/spoken language:\u003c\/strong\u003e Icelandic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEthnicities:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Icelanders\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eIcelanders\u003c\/a\u003e (~93%), other European and Asian minorities\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMemberships:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_Nations\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eUnited Nations\u003c\/a\u003e (1945); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/NATO\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eNATO\u003c\/a\u003e (founding member, 1949); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Council_of_Europe\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCouncil of Europe\u003c\/a\u003e (1949); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/European_Economic_Area\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eEEA\u003c\/a\u003e (1994); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Schengen_Area\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eSchengen Area\u003c\/a\u003e (2001)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSovereignty:\u003c\/strong\u003e Settlement by Norse Vikings (874 AD); Althing (parliament) established 930 AD — one of the world’s oldest; Norwegian rule (1262–1397); Danish rule (1397–1944); Republic of Iceland declared June 17, 1944\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eIceland Unfiltered\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIceland has no standing army — it is one of only a handful of sovereign nations with no military forces\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDespite its name, Iceland is remarkably green, while Greenland is largely covered in ice — a deliberate Viking misdirection, some historians argue\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIceland runs almost entirely on renewable energy: ~100% of electricity from geothermal and hydropower\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Icelandic phone book is sorted by first name, not last — because Icelanders use a patronymic system, not hereditary surnames\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIceland has no mosquitoes — the climate and geology make it inhospitable to them\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe 2008 financial crisis hit Iceland harder per capita than almost any other country; three major banks collapsed, and the króna lost half its value — this very coin was circulating through that chaos\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFour Guardians, One Coin\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 100 Krónur shares its obverse with the 5, 10, and 50 Krónur — all four \u003cem\u003eLandvættir\u003c\/em\u003e assembled together, the complete mythological coat of arms of Iceland. \u003cstrong\u003eBergrisi\u003c\/strong\u003e the mountain giant of the north, \u003cstrong\u003eDreki\u003c\/strong\u003e the dragon of the south, \u003cstrong\u003eGammur\u003c\/strong\u003e the great eagle of the east, \u003cstrong\u003eGriðungur\u003c\/strong\u003e the bull of the west. According to the \u003cem\u003eHeimskringla\u003c\/em\u003e, these four spirits turned back a Danish sorcerer sent to scout Iceland for invasion, each appearing in its region and driving him into the sea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat distinguishes the 100 Krónur from its siblings is its edge: \u003cstrong\u003ealternating smooth and reeded sections\u003c\/strong\u003e, a security feature that makes it immediately identifiable by touch alone — useful in a country where coins of similar size circulate together. It is a small design detail that speaks to serious intent. \u003cstrong\u003eThe highest denomination gets the most distinctive edge.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Lumpfish: Iceland’s Most Unlikely Icon\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eLumpfish\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eCyclopterus lumpus\u003c\/em\u003e) is not built for speed or elegance. It is a round, lumpy, scaleless fish with a body covered in tubercles — bony bumps arranged in rows — and a modified pelvic fin fused into a powerful suction disc that it uses to anchor itself to rocks in the surge and swell of the North Atlantic. It looks, frankly, like something designed by committee. And Iceland put it on its highest everyday coin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe choice is not as eccentric as it seems. Lumpfish roe — harvested from females during the spring spawning season — is a significant Icelandic export, sold as an affordable caviar substitute worldwide. The males, meanwhile, are remarkable fathers: they guard the egg mass alone for up to seven weeks after the female departs, fanning the eggs with their fins and chasing off predators. On this coin the lumpfish is rendered in profile, its lumpy silhouette unmistakable, its suction disc implied in the curve of the belly. \u003cstrong\u003eOwn this coin and you hold the full Icelandic marine world\u003c\/strong\u003e — from the mythological guardians above to the most tenacious fish in the cold Atlantic below.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Unbranded","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52110294155575,"sku":"ISKM35U","price":7.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0969\/7165\/3431\/files\/KM35r.jpg?v=1778333752"},{"product_id":"iceland-5-piece-coin-set-1-5-10-50-100-kronur-km-27a-28a-29-1a-31-35-unc","title":"Iceland 5 piece Coin Set 1 5 10 50 100 Kronur KM#27a 28a 29.1a 31 35 VF","description":"\u003cp\u003eIceland’s circulation coinage is a complete mythology and a complete marine biology lesson pressed into five coins. The obverses carry the ancient guardian spirits of the island — the \u003cem\u003eLandvættir\u003c\/em\u003e — drawn from Norse legend and still emblazoned on the national coat of arms. The reverses carry the sea: a cod, two dolphins, four capelin, a crab, a lumpfish — five creatures from the cold North Atlantic waters that have defined Icelandic life since the first settlers arrived in 874 AD. This complete five-coin set spans every denomination from 1 Króna to 100 Krónur, all \u003cstrong\u003eVF (Very Fine) or better\u003c\/strong\u003e, all minted at the \u003cstrong\u003eRoyal Mint, Llantrisant, United Kingdom\u003c\/strong\u003e. Combined weight: 33.50 g.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Landvættir: Iceland’s Four Guardians\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Landv%C3%A6ttir\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eLandvættir\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e — “land spirits” in Old Norse — are the four supernatural protectors of Iceland, each assigned to a cardinal direction. The story of their power comes from the \u003cem\u003eHeimskringla\u003c\/em\u003e: when a Danish king sent a sorcerer in the shape of a whale to scout Iceland for invasion, each spirit appeared in turn and drove him back.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bergrisi\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eBergrisi\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e — the Mountain Giant of the \u003cstrong\u003eNorth\u003c\/strong\u003e. Emerged from the mountains, massive and terrible, club in hand, flanked by a host of other giants. Guards the 1 Króna alone; joins the others on the 5, 10, 50, and 100 Krónur.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gammur\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eGammur\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e — the Great Eagle of the \u003cstrong\u003eEast\u003c\/strong\u003e. Appeared with wings spread so wide they touched the mountains on either side.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGriðungur\u003c\/strong\u003e — the Bull of the \u003cstrong\u003eWest\u003c\/strong\u003e. Waded into the sea and bellowed so fiercely the sorcerer could not pass.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Icelandic_wyvern\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eDreki\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e — the Dragon of the \u003cstrong\u003eSouth\u003c\/strong\u003e. Flew overhead breathing fire, followed by a swarm of serpents.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe invasion never came. All four appear on the \u003cstrong\u003ecoat of arms of Iceland\u003c\/strong\u003e to this day — and on four of the five coins in this set.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Sea on the Reverse: Five Creatures, One Ocean\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach coin carries a different creature from Icelandic waters — together they form a portrait of the North Atlantic ecosystem that has sustained Iceland for over a millennium.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Atlantic_cod\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAtlantic Cod\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eGadus morhua\u003c\/em\u003e) on the 1 Króna is the most historically charged: it built Iceland’s medieval economy, triggered the \u003cstrong\u003eCod Wars\u003c\/strong\u003e with the UK (1950s–1976), and won Iceland a 200-nautical-mile exclusive fishing zone. The \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Common_dolphin\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCommon Dolphin\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eDelphinus delphis\u003c\/em\u003e) on the 5 Krónur leaps in pairs — kinetic, intelligent, a reminder that Iceland’s waters are rich beyond fish alone. The \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Capelin\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCapelin\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eMallotus villosus\u003c\/em\u003e) on the 10 Krónur schools in fours — small, abundant, the linchpin of the entire food web, feeding cod, seabirds, and whales. The \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/European_green_crab\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eShore Crab\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eCarcinus maenas\u003c\/em\u003e) on the 50 Krónur is the intertidal surprise — armored, sideways-walking, now one of the world’s most invasive crustaceans, but entirely at home on Iceland’s volcanic shores. And the \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lumpfish\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eLumpfish\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eCyclopterus lumpus\u003c\/em\u003e) on the 100 Krónur is the most unlikely of all — lumpy, scaleless, anchored to rocks by a suction disc, its roe harvested as Iceland’s answer to caviar, its males guarding egg masses alone for weeks. \u003cstrong\u003eFive reverses. Five species. One ocean.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e1 Króna — KM#27a\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eObverse:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bergrisi\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eBergrisi\u003c\/a\u003e the giant alone — \u003cem\u003eLandvættur\u003c\/em\u003e of the North. Lettering: \u003cem\u003eEIN KRÓNA \/ ÍSLAND\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReverse:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Atlantic_cod\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAtlantic Cod\u003c\/a\u003e (\u003cem\u003eGadus morhua\u003c\/em\u003e) — blunt snout, chin barbel, fanned tail, lateral line in crisp relief. Lettering: \u003cem\u003e1 KR\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComposition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Nickel plated steel (magnetic)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 4.00 g  |  \u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 21.50 mm  |  \u003cstrong\u003eThickness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.70 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEdge:\u003c\/strong\u003e Reeded  |  \u003cstrong\u003eYears:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1989–2011\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCatalog numbers:\u003c\/strong\u003e KM# 27a; Schön# 30a; SIEG# 27.2; Numista N#1549\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e5 Krónur — KM#28a\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eObverse:\u003c\/strong\u003e All four \u003cem\u003eLandvættir\u003c\/em\u003e — Bergrisi, Dreki, Gammur, Griðungur — the full coat of arms. Lettering: \u003cem\u003eFIMM KRÓNUR \/ ÍSLAND\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReverse:\u003c\/strong\u003e Two \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Common_dolphin\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCommon Dolphins\u003c\/a\u003e (\u003cem\u003eDelphinus delphis\u003c\/em\u003e) — leaping in profile, bodies arched in dynamic symmetry. Lettering: \u003cem\u003e5 KR\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComposition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Nickel plated steel (magnetic)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 5.60 g  |  \u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 24.50 mm  |  \u003cstrong\u003eThickness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.78 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEdge:\u003c\/strong\u003e Reeded  |  \u003cstrong\u003eYears:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1996–2008\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCatalog numbers:\u003c\/strong\u003e KM# 28a; Schön# 31a; SIEG# 46.2; Numista N#1551\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e10 Krónur — KM#29.1a\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eObverse:\u003c\/strong\u003e All four \u003cem\u003eLandvættir\u003c\/em\u003e — the full coat of arms. Lettering: \u003cem\u003eTÍU KRÓNUR \/ ÍSLAND\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReverse:\u003c\/strong\u003e Four \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Capelin\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCapelin\u003c\/a\u003e (\u003cem\u003eMallotus villosus\u003c\/em\u003e) — schooling in tight formation, bodies curved and overlapping. Lettering: \u003cem\u003e10 KR\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComposition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Nickel plated steel (magnetic)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 6.90 g  |  \u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 27.50 mm  |  \u003cstrong\u003eThickness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.78 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEdge:\u003c\/strong\u003e Reeded  |  \u003cstrong\u003eYears:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1996–2008\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCatalog numbers:\u003c\/strong\u003e KM# 29.1a; Schön# 32a; SIEG# 56.2; Numista N#7912\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e50 Krónur — KM#31\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eObverse:\u003c\/strong\u003e All four \u003cem\u003eLandvættir\u003c\/em\u003e — the full coat of arms. Lettering: \u003cem\u003eFIMMTÍU KRÓNUR \/ ÍSLAND\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReverse:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/European_green_crab\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eShore Crab\u003c\/a\u003e (\u003cem\u003eCarcinus maenas\u003c\/em\u003e) — dorsal view, carapace detailed, claws extended, five lateral spines visible. Lettering: \u003cem\u003e50 KR\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComposition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Nickel brass (70% Cu, 24.5% Zn, 5.5% Ni)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 8.25 g  |  \u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 23.00 mm  |  \u003cstrong\u003eThickness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2.60 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEdge:\u003c\/strong\u003e Reeded  |  \u003cstrong\u003eYears:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1987–2005\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCatalog numbers:\u003c\/strong\u003e KM# 31; Schön# 33; SIEG# 66; Numista N#1550\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e100 Krónur — KM#35\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eObverse:\u003c\/strong\u003e All four \u003cem\u003eLandvættir\u003c\/em\u003e — the full coat of arms. Lettering: \u003cem\u003eEITT HUNDRÆÐ KRÓNUR \/ ÍSLAND\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReverse:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lumpfish\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eLumpfish\u003c\/a\u003e (\u003cem\u003eCyclopterus lumpus\u003c\/em\u003e) — profile view, lumpy scaleless body, dorsal ridge, suction disc implied in belly curve. Lettering: \u003cem\u003e100 KR\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComposition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Nickel brass (70% Cu, 24.5% Zn, 5.5% Ni)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 8.50 g  |  \u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 25.50 mm  |  \u003cstrong\u003eThickness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2.25 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEdge:\u003c\/strong\u003e Smooth and reeded alternately  |  \u003cstrong\u003eYears:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1995–2011\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCatalog numbers:\u003c\/strong\u003e KM# 35; Schön# 34; SIEG# 80; Numista N#1547\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAbout the Issuer\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIssuing entity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Central Bank of Iceland (Seðlabanki Íslands)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMint:\u003c\/strong\u003e Royal Mint, Llantrisant, United Kingdom (1968–date)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCurrency:\u003c\/strong\u003e New króna (1980–date)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCountry:\u003c\/strong\u003e Republic of Iceland (1944–date)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFive coins. Five creatures. Four guardians. One island that has always known exactly what it is — mythologically, ecologically, and economically. \u003cstrong\u003eOwn the complete set.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Unbranded","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52110295204151,"sku":"ISKM-SET5-U","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0969\/7165\/3431\/files\/KM-set-5pc.jpg?v=1778334904"},{"product_id":"iceland-p-39-25-kronur-1957-f-fine-landsbanki-islands-sedlabankinn-version","title":"Iceland P-39 25 Kronur 1957 F Fine \"Landsbanki Íslands - Seðlabankinn\" version","description":"\u003cp\u003eA purple gem from the edge of the world — Iceland's 1957 25 Krónur note pairs one of the country's great Enlightenment figures with a view of one of its most dramatic landscapes, printed by one of Britain's most celebrated security printers. Issued in 1960 and demonetized in 1975, this note captures Iceland at the precise moment it was transitioning from a remote fishing nation into a modern republic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eFront\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePortrait:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Magn%C3%BAs_Stephensen\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eMagnús Stephensen\u003c\/a\u003e (1762–1833), Iceland's first Chief Justice and a central figure of the Icelandic Enlightenment, in vignette at left\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVignette:\u003c\/strong\u003e view of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%C3%8Dsafj%C3%B6r%C3%B0ur\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eÍsafjörður\u003c\/a\u003e, the principal town of the Westfjords — one of Iceland's most remote and dramatically situated communities, nestled between steep fjord walls and the sea\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUnderprint:\u003c\/strong\u003e multicoloured guilloche underprint beneath purple dominant engraving\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eText:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eLANDSBANKI ÍSLANDS–SEÐLABANKINN \/ TUTTUGU OG FIMM KRÓNUR \/ SAMKVÆMT LÖGUM NR. 63. 21. JÚNÍ 1957\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSignatures:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=Vilhj%C3%A1lmur+%C3%9E%C3%B3r+Landsbanki\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eVilhjálmur Þór\u003c\/a\u003e (VÞ) and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/J%C3%B3n_G._Mar%C3%ADasson\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eJón G. Maríasson\u003c\/a\u003e (JGM)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDesigner:\u003c\/strong\u003e Halldór Pétursson\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eBack\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVignette:\u003c\/strong\u003e panoramic view of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Westman_Islands\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eVestmannaeyjar\u003c\/a\u003e (Westman Islands), the volcanic archipelago off Iceland's south coast — just thirteen years after this note was issued, the eruption of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Eldfell\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eEldfell\u003c\/a\u003e volcano in 1973 would force the evacuation of the entire island population overnight\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eText:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003e25 \/ VESTMANNAEYJAR\u003c\/em\u003e in purple print\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDesigner:\u003c\/strong\u003e Halldór Pétursson\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eOther Characteristics\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVarieties:\u003c\/strong\u003e\n    \u003cul\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eP-39a — signatures VÞ, JGM — this note\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eP-39s — Specimen\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003c\/ul\u003e\n  \u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCatalog numbers:\u003c\/strong\u003e P-39a; SIEG SD#45; Numista N#216476\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWatermark:\u003c\/strong\u003e portrait of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sveinn_Bj%C3%B6rnsson\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eSveinn Björnsson\u003c\/a\u003e, the first President of Iceland (1944–1952)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComposition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Paper\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 140 × 70 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIssuing entity:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Central_Bank_of_Iceland\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eLandsbanki Íslands – Seðlabankinn\u003c\/a\u003e (National Bank of Iceland – Central Bank)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrinter:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bradbury,_Wilkinson_and_Company\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eBradbury Wilkinson and Company\u003c\/a\u003e, United Kingdom (1856–1990)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIssued:\u003c\/strong\u003e 4 May 1960 (under law of 21 June 1957)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDemonetized:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Demonetization_(currency)\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e14 May 1975\u003c\/a\u003e (withdrawn by law of 2 February 1973)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCurrency:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Icelandic_kr%C3%B3na\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eOld Icelandic Króna\u003c\/a\u003e (1885–1980)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOfficial language:\u003c\/strong\u003e Icelandic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eAbout Iceland\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin of name:\u003c\/strong\u003e Named by the Norse settler \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hrafna-Fl%C3%B3ki_Vilger%C3%B0arson\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eHrafna-Flóki Vilgerðarson\u003c\/a\u003e around 865 AD, who, after a harsh winter, climbed a mountain and saw a fjord full of sea ice — and called the land \u003cem\u003eÍsland\u003c\/em\u003e (Ice Land). The name stuck, despite Iceland being far greener than Greenland.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCapital:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Reykjav%C3%ADk\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eReykjavík\u003c\/a\u003e — city population ~140,000; metro ~230,000\n    \u003cul\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin of name:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eReykjavík\u003c\/em\u003e means \"Smoky Bay\" in Old Norse — named by the first permanent settler, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ing%C3%B3lfr_Arnarson\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eIngólfr Arnarson\u003c\/a\u003e, around 874 AD, for the steam rising from the geothermal hot springs he saw on arrival\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003c\/ul\u003e\n  \u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePopulation:\u003c\/strong\u003e ~380,000 (UN 2024) — roughly the city of Minneapolis\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArea:\u003c\/strong\u003e 103,000 km² (39,769 mi²) — slightly larger than Kentucky; smaller than Iceland's neighbor Greenland by a factor of 21\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGDP per capita (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Purchasing_power_parity\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ePPP\u003c\/a\u003e):\u003c\/strong\u003e ~$75,000 (IMF 2024) — one of the highest in the world\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMain exports:\u003c\/strong\u003e fish and seafood, aluminum, ferrosilicon, tourism services, pharmaceuticals\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBorders:\u003c\/strong\u003e None — Iceland is an island nation in the North Atlantic, with no land borders\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOfficial\/spoken language:\u003c\/strong\u003e Icelandic — one of the most conservative Germanic languages, still mutually intelligible with Old Norse texts from the 13th century\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEthnicities:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Icelanders\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eIcelanders\u003c\/a\u003e (~85%, descended from Norse settlers and Irish\/Scottish thralls brought by the Vikings), with growing Polish, Lithuanian, and other European communities\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMemberships:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_Nations\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eUnited Nations\u003c\/a\u003e (1946); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/NATO\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eNATO\u003c\/a\u003e (1949; founding member); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Council_of_Europe\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCouncil of Europe\u003c\/a\u003e (1949; founding member); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/European_Economic_Area\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eEuropean Economic Area\u003c\/a\u003e (1994); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Schengen_Area\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eSchengen Area\u003c\/a\u003e (2001) — notably NOT a member of the EU\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSovereignty:\u003c\/strong\u003e\n    \u003cul\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eSettlement (874–930) — Norse settlers, led by Ingólfr Arnarson, colonize an uninhabited island; Irish monks (\u003cem\u003epapar\u003c\/em\u003e) may have arrived earlier\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Althing\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAlthing\u003c\/a\u003e established (930) — one of the world's oldest parliaments, founded at Þingvellir; Iceland governed as a commonwealth (\u003cem\u003eþjóðveldið\u003c\/em\u003e)\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eNorwegian rule (1262–1397) — Iceland submits to the Norwegian crown after civil strife\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eDanish rule (1397–1944) — passes to Denmark via the Kalmar Union; Denmark retains Iceland after Norway is ceded to Sweden in 1814\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eHome Rule \/ Union with Denmark (1874–1944) — Iceland receives its own constitution in 1874; becomes a sovereign state in personal union with Denmark in 1918\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRepublic of Iceland (1944–present)\u003c\/strong\u003e — declared independence on 17 June 1944 while Denmark was under German occupation; \u003cstrong\u003ethis note issued during this period\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003c\/ul\u003e\n  \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eIceland Unfiltered\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eIceland has no standing army — it is one of only a handful of sovereign nations with no military forces, relying on NATO membership and a small coast guard\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eThe entire country runs on nearly 100% renewable energy — geothermal and hydropower — making it one of the greenest energy grids on Earth\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eIn 2008, Iceland's banking system collapsed spectacularly: three major banks failed within a week, with combined debts ten times the country's GDP — the largest banking collapse relative to GDP in history\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eIceland recovered faster than almost any other country from the 2008 crisis — partly by letting the banks fail, prosecuting bankers, and devaluing the króna rather than imposing austerity\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Landv%C3%A6ttir\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eLandvættir\u003c\/a\u003e — the four guardian spirits of Iceland (dragon, eagle, bull, and giant) — appear on Iceland's coat of arms and are taken seriously enough that road construction has historically been rerouted to avoid disturbing rocks believed to house \u003cem\u003ehuldufólk\u003c\/em\u003e (hidden people)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eIceland has the world's oldest active parliament (the Althing, est. 930 AD) and one of the world's highest literacy rates — both dating to the same medieval culture that produced the Sagas\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eIcelanders use a patronymic naming system: children take their father's (or mother's) first name as their surname with -son or -dóttir appended — there is no family surname tradition, and a phone book is sorted by first name\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eThe Westman Islands (Vestmannaeyjar, shown on this note's reverse) were evacuated in a single night in January 1973 when Eldfell volcano erupted without warning — residents were told to leave immediately and most never returned to find their homes intact\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Enlightenment at the Edge of the World\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMagnús Stephensen\u003c\/strong\u003e (1762–1833) was Iceland's first Chief Justice and its most prominent Enlightenment figure — a man who believed that reason, education, and modern governance could transform what was then one of Europe's most isolated and impoverished societies. He founded Iceland's first printing press, published the country's first newspaper, and campaigned for legal reform at a time when most Icelanders lived in turf houses and survived on dried fish. Placing him on the 25 Krónur note was a statement of national identity: \u003cstrong\u003eIceland is a civilization, not just a fishing outpost.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe view of Ísafjörður on the obverse reinforces this. Ísafjörður sits at the end of a narrow fjord in the Westfjords — the most remote peninsula of an already remote island — surrounded by mountains that drop almost vertically into the sea. It is the kind of place that makes you understand why Icelanders developed such a rich interior life: the Sagas, the Eddas, the poetry. When the landscape is that extreme, the mind turns inward.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eVestmannaeyjar: The Island That Burned\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe reverse of this note shows \u003cstrong\u003eVestmannaeyjar\u003c\/strong\u003e — the Westman Islands — in the calm of the early 1960s. Thirteen years later, on January 23, 1973, the island of Heimaey woke up to a volcanic fissure that had opened overnight. \u003cstrong\u003eThe entire population of 5,300 people was evacuated by fishing boat in a single night.\u003c\/strong\u003e The lava flow destroyed 400 homes and threatened to close the harbor — which would have ended the island's economy permanently. Icelanders pumped seawater onto the advancing lava for months, successfully cooling and redirecting it. Most residents eventually returned.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis note, demonetized just two years after that eruption, captures Vestmannaeyjar as it was before the world knew its name.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eBradbury Wilkinson: The Printer's Printer\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis note was printed by \u003cstrong\u003eBradbury Wilkinson and Company\u003c\/strong\u003e of New Malden, Surrey — one of the most respected security printers in the world from the mid-19th century until its closure in 1990. Bradbury Wilkinson printed banknotes for dozens of countries, as well as British postage stamps and share certificates. Their engraving work is characterized by exceptional fine-line detail and rich intaglio depth. The purple tones and multicoloured underprint on this note are a showcase of their craft at its mid-century best.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOwn this note and you hold a piece of Iceland's republican dawn — a country that had just declared independence, was building its institutions, and chose to honor its Enlightenment past and its volcanic present on the same small rectangle of paper.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Unbranded","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52160044794167,"sku":"IS39aFINE","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0969\/7165\/3431\/files\/39o_copy.jpg?v=1778972915"},{"product_id":"iceland-p-39-25-kronur-1957-vf-very-fine-landsbanki-islands-sedlabankinn-version","title":"Iceland P-39 25 Kronur 1957 VF Very Fine \"Landsbanki Íslands - Seðlabankinn\" version","description":"\u003cp\u003eA purple gem from the edge of the world — Iceland's 1957 25 Krónur note pairs one of the country's great Enlightenment figures with a view of one of its most dramatic landscapes, printed by one of Britain's most celebrated security printers. Issued in 1960 and demonetized in 1975, this note captures Iceland at the precise moment it was transitioning from a remote fishing nation into a modern republic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eFront\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePortrait:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Magn%C3%BAs_Stephensen\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eMagnús Stephensen\u003c\/a\u003e (1762–1833), Iceland's first Chief Justice and a central figure of the Icelandic Enlightenment, in vignette at left\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVignette:\u003c\/strong\u003e view of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%C3%8Dsafj%C3%B6r%C3%B0ur\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eÍsafjörður\u003c\/a\u003e, the principal town of the Westfjords — one of Iceland's most remote and dramatically situated communities, nestled between steep fjord walls and the sea\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUnderprint:\u003c\/strong\u003e multicoloured guilloche underprint beneath purple dominant engraving\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eText:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eLANDSBANKI ÍSLANDS–SEÐLABANKINN \/ TUTTUGU OG FIMM KRÓNUR \/ SAMKVÆMT LÖGUM NR. 63. 21. JÚNÍ 1957\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSignatures:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=Vilhj%C3%A1lmur+%C3%9E%C3%B3r+Landsbanki\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eVilhjálmur Þór\u003c\/a\u003e (VÞ) and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/J%C3%B3n_G._Mar%C3%ADasson\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eJón G. Maríasson\u003c\/a\u003e (JGM)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDesigner:\u003c\/strong\u003e Halldór Pétursson\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eBack\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVignette:\u003c\/strong\u003e panoramic view of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Westman_Islands\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eVestmannaeyjar\u003c\/a\u003e (Westman Islands), the volcanic archipelago off Iceland's south coast — just thirteen years after this note was issued, the eruption of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Eldfell\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eEldfell\u003c\/a\u003e volcano in 1973 would force the evacuation of the entire island population overnight\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eText:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003e25 \/ VESTMANNAEYJAR\u003c\/em\u003e in purple print\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDesigner:\u003c\/strong\u003e Halldór Pétursson\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eOther Characteristics\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVarieties:\u003c\/strong\u003e\n    \u003cul\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eP-39a — signatures VÞ, JGM — this note\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eP-39s — Specimen\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003c\/ul\u003e\n  \u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCatalog numbers:\u003c\/strong\u003e P-39a; SIEG SD#45; Numista N#216476\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWatermark:\u003c\/strong\u003e portrait of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sveinn_Bj%C3%B6rnsson\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eSveinn Björnsson\u003c\/a\u003e, the first President of Iceland (1944–1952)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComposition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Paper\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 140 × 70 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIssuing entity:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Central_Bank_of_Iceland\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eLandsbanki Íslands – Seðlabankinn\u003c\/a\u003e (National Bank of Iceland – Central Bank)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrinter:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bradbury,_Wilkinson_and_Company\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eBradbury Wilkinson and Company\u003c\/a\u003e, United Kingdom (1856–1990)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIssued:\u003c\/strong\u003e 4 May 1960 (under law of 21 June 1957)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDemonetized:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Demonetization_(currency)\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e14 May 1975\u003c\/a\u003e (withdrawn by law of 2 February 1973)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCurrency:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Icelandic_kr%C3%B3na\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eOld Icelandic Króna\u003c\/a\u003e (1885–1980)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOfficial language:\u003c\/strong\u003e Icelandic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eAbout Iceland\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin of name:\u003c\/strong\u003e Named by the Norse settler \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hrafna-Fl%C3%B3ki_Vilger%C3%B0arson\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eHrafna-Flóki Vilgerðarson\u003c\/a\u003e around 865 AD, who, after a harsh winter, climbed a mountain and saw a fjord full of sea ice — and called the land \u003cem\u003eÍsland\u003c\/em\u003e (Ice Land). The name stuck, despite Iceland being far greener than Greenland.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCapital:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Reykjav%C3%ADk\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eReykjavík\u003c\/a\u003e — city population ~140,000; metro ~230,000\n    \u003cul\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin of name:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eReykjavík\u003c\/em\u003e means \"Smoky Bay\" in Old Norse — named by the first permanent settler, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ing%C3%B3lfr_Arnarson\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eIngólfr Arnarson\u003c\/a\u003e, around 874 AD, for the steam rising from the geothermal hot springs he saw on arrival\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003c\/ul\u003e\n  \u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePopulation:\u003c\/strong\u003e ~380,000 (UN 2024) — roughly the city of Minneapolis\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArea:\u003c\/strong\u003e 103,000 km² (39,769 mi²) — slightly larger than Kentucky; smaller than Iceland's neighbor Greenland by a factor of 21\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGDP per capita (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Purchasing_power_parity\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ePPP\u003c\/a\u003e):\u003c\/strong\u003e ~$75,000 (IMF 2024) — one of the highest in the world\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMain exports:\u003c\/strong\u003e fish and seafood, aluminum, ferrosilicon, tourism services, pharmaceuticals\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBorders:\u003c\/strong\u003e None — Iceland is an island nation in the North Atlantic, with no land borders\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOfficial\/spoken language:\u003c\/strong\u003e Icelandic — one of the most conservative Germanic languages, still mutually intelligible with Old Norse texts from the 13th century\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEthnicities:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Icelanders\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eIcelanders\u003c\/a\u003e (~85%, descended from Norse settlers and Irish\/Scottish thralls brought by the Vikings), with growing Polish, Lithuanian, and other European communities\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMemberships:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_Nations\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eUnited Nations\u003c\/a\u003e (1946); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/NATO\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eNATO\u003c\/a\u003e (1949; founding member); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Council_of_Europe\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCouncil of Europe\u003c\/a\u003e (1949; founding member); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/European_Economic_Area\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eEuropean Economic Area\u003c\/a\u003e (1994); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Schengen_Area\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eSchengen Area\u003c\/a\u003e (2001) — notably NOT a member of the EU\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSovereignty:\u003c\/strong\u003e\n    \u003cul\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eSettlement (874–930) — Norse settlers, led by Ingólfr Arnarson, colonize an uninhabited island; Irish monks (\u003cem\u003epapar\u003c\/em\u003e) may have arrived earlier\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Althing\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAlthing\u003c\/a\u003e established (930) — one of the world's oldest parliaments, founded at Þingvellir; Iceland governed as a commonwealth (\u003cem\u003eþjóðveldið\u003c\/em\u003e)\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eNorwegian rule (1262–1397) — Iceland submits to the Norwegian crown after civil strife\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eDanish rule (1397–1944) — passes to Denmark via the Kalmar Union; Denmark retains Iceland after Norway is ceded to Sweden in 1814\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eHome Rule \/ Union with Denmark (1874–1944) — Iceland receives its own constitution in 1874; becomes a sovereign state in personal union with Denmark in 1918\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRepublic of Iceland (1944–present)\u003c\/strong\u003e — declared independence on 17 June 1944 while Denmark was under German occupation; \u003cstrong\u003ethis note issued during this period\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003c\/ul\u003e\n  \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eIceland Unfiltered\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eIceland has no standing army — it is one of only a handful of sovereign nations with no military forces, relying on NATO membership and a small coast guard\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eThe entire country runs on nearly 100% renewable energy — geothermal and hydropower — making it one of the greenest energy grids on Earth\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eIn 2008, Iceland's banking system collapsed spectacularly: three major banks failed within a week, with combined debts ten times the country's GDP — the largest banking collapse relative to GDP in history\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eIceland recovered faster than almost any other country from the 2008 crisis — partly by letting the banks fail, prosecuting bankers, and devaluing the króna rather than imposing austerity\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Landv%C3%A6ttir\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eLandvættir\u003c\/a\u003e — the four guardian spirits of Iceland (dragon, eagle, bull, and giant) — appear on Iceland's coat of arms and are taken seriously enough that road construction has historically been rerouted to avoid disturbing rocks believed to house \u003cem\u003ehuldufólk\u003c\/em\u003e (hidden people)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eIceland has the world's oldest active parliament (the Althing, est. 930 AD) and one of the world's highest literacy rates — both dating to the same medieval culture that produced the Sagas\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eIcelanders use a patronymic naming system: children take their father's (or mother's) first name as their surname with -son or -dóttir appended — there is no family surname tradition, and a phone book is sorted by first name\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eThe Westman Islands (Vestmannaeyjar, shown on this note's reverse) were evacuated in a single night in January 1973 when Eldfell volcano erupted without warning — residents were told to leave immediately and most never returned to find their homes intact\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Enlightenment at the Edge of the World\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMagnús Stephensen\u003c\/strong\u003e (1762–1833) was Iceland's first Chief Justice and its most prominent Enlightenment figure — a man who believed that reason, education, and modern governance could transform what was then one of Europe's most isolated and impoverished societies. He founded Iceland's first printing press, published the country's first newspaper, and campaigned for legal reform at a time when most Icelanders lived in turf houses and survived on dried fish. Placing him on the 25 Krónur note was a statement of national identity: \u003cstrong\u003eIceland is a civilization, not just a fishing outpost.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe view of Ísafjörður on the obverse reinforces this. Ísafjörður sits at the end of a narrow fjord in the Westfjords — the most remote peninsula of an already remote island — surrounded by mountains that drop almost vertically into the sea. It is the kind of place that makes you understand why Icelanders developed such a rich interior life: the Sagas, the Eddas, the poetry. When the landscape is that extreme, the mind turns inward.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eVestmannaeyjar: The Island That Burned\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe reverse of this note shows \u003cstrong\u003eVestmannaeyjar\u003c\/strong\u003e — the Westman Islands — in the calm of the early 1960s. Thirteen years later, on January 23, 1973, the island of Heimaey woke up to a volcanic fissure that had opened overnight. \u003cstrong\u003eThe entire population of 5,300 people was evacuated by fishing boat in a single night.\u003c\/strong\u003e The lava flow destroyed 400 homes and threatened to close the harbor — which would have ended the island's economy permanently. Icelanders pumped seawater onto the advancing lava for months, successfully cooling and redirecting it. Most residents eventually returned.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis note, demonetized just two years after that eruption, captures Vestmannaeyjar as it was before the world knew its name.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eBradbury Wilkinson: The Printer's Printer\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis note was printed by \u003cstrong\u003eBradbury Wilkinson and Company\u003c\/strong\u003e of New Malden, Surrey — one of the most respected security printers in the world from the mid-19th century until its closure in 1990. Bradbury Wilkinson printed banknotes for dozens of countries, as well as British postage stamps and share certificates. Their engraving work is characterized by exceptional fine-line detail and rich intaglio depth. The purple tones and multicoloured underprint on this note are a showcase of their craft at its mid-century best.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOwn this note and you hold a piece of Iceland's republican dawn — a country that had just declared independence, was building its institutions, and chose to honor its Enlightenment past and its volcanic present on the same small rectangle of paper.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Unbranded","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52160753434935,"sku":"IS39aVFPLUS","price":11.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0969\/7165\/3431\/files\/39-au-o.jpg?v=1779037021"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0969\/7165\/3431\/collections\/KM27ao_59bc2f7b-f7b0-43cd-9f5f-c6abdb4325c1.jpg?v=1778335734","url":"https:\/\/worldmoneystore.com\/collections\/iceland.oembed","provider":"World Money Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}