Ukraine 2-HRYVNI (KM73)¶
-
Reverse: TAWNY EAGLE
-
Obverse: Denomination
- Composition
- Copper-nickel-zinc
- Country
- Ukraine
- Approx. Size
- 31mm
- Area
- Europe
- Animal Class
- Birds
- Species
- Tawny Eagle
- KM#
- 73
Although Krause (Ed. #34) calls this a Steppe Eagle, it is clearly a Tawny Eagle. That's because its name is right there on the coin: Aquila rapax. This is a large bird, weighing up to 2.4 kg and with a wingspan up to 185 cm. It favours dry habitats, such as desert, semi-desert, savannah, plains, and steppe.
Ukraine¶
- Area
- Europe
The largest country on the European continent, The Ukraine has a long history dating back to the founding of the state of Kievan Rus' in the late ninth century, which lasted for over 300 years. One of the low-points of Ukrainian history is known as "The Ruin", a devastating 30-year war for control of the Ukraine fought between Russia, Poland, Turks and Cossacks (1657-1686). The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was formed in 1922, and the Ukraine did not re-gain full independence from the Soviet Union until 1991. Ukraine has a rich culture, influenced by its neighbours to both the west and east. One artisitic tradition is pysanky -- the traditional Ukrainian "Easter" egg -- which dates back thousands of years (well before the arrival of Christianity).
