DRAM: COIN OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH
1 dram, 2004: Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (Azerbaijan)
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic or Republic of Artsakh (a breakaway populated mainly by Armenians state located in Azerbaijan near the Armenia) — former state with limited recognition, proclaimed in 1991. In 2023, it ceased to exist due to the restoration of control by Azerbaijan. It existed for 32 years.
The prefix Nagorno- derives from the Russian attributive adjective "nagorny" ("нагорный"), which means "highland"; the Azerbaijani names of the region include the similar adjectives "dağlıq" ("mountainous") or "yuxarı" ("upper").
1 DRAM.
SAINT GREGORY or Gregory the Illuminator — the founder and first official head of the Armenian Apostolic Church. He converted Armenia from Zoroastrianism to Christianity in the early fourth century, making Armenia the first state to adopt Christianity as its official religion. Exactly in Nagorno-Karabakh St. Gregory the Illuminator founded the Amaras Monastery (a prominent religious and educational center in medieval Armenia).
NAGORNO-KARABAKH REPUBLIC.
Coat of arms of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh): an eagle with ornamented crown, on the chest of the eagle is a shield with a panorama of a mountain range and Flag of Artsakh, two stone heads from the "We Are Our Mountains" monument in Stepanakert (the capital of Artsakh), various agricultural products including wheat and grapes; ribbon bearing inscription "Լեռնային Ղարաբաղի Հանրապետություն-Արցախ" ("Republic of Nagorno Karabakh — Artsakh") in Armenian.
- Aluminium: 22 mm - 1.14 g
- Reference price: 1$
COIN DRAM — WHERE & WHEN (coins catalog: by names & emitents)
- REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA (1994-...): dram = 100 luma
- NAGORNO-KARABAKH REPUBLIC (former state with limited recognition: a breakaway state in the South Caucasus supported by Armenia, whose territory was internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan): dram = 100 luma (non-circulating coins)
DRAM as coin name.
Dram (Armenian "Դրամ") — the official currency of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. Currencies consist of 100 luma.
According to numismatic sources, the appearance of the first dram in the form of silver coin is attributed to the end of the 12th century. However, in reality, that denomination was called tram instead of dram.
The modern Armenian dram was introduced in 1993 to replace the Soviet ruble. The first issue of small coins (both dram and luma) dates from 1994 and is made entirely of aluminum.
A significant number of varieties of commemorative/jubilee coins of Armenia in copper-nickel alloy, silver and gold have been issued. Armenian drams perform the role of money also in the territory of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, where local souvenir coins (included in Krause Standard Catalog of World Coins) are additionally issued for numismatists.
Translated from the Armenian language, the name of the currency means "money". The origin of the term "dram" itself is associated with the ancient Greek coin and measure of weight, the drachma (Greek "δραχμή").
