3 Euro The Basilisk Coin

Description

Hatched from a hen's egg incubated by a snake or a toad, this fearsome little monster delights in spreading terror. – When ultraviolet light plays over the creature on the coin, you can almost sense its poisonous gaze and fetid breath.

The Basilisk

The word 'basilisk' derives from the Greek basilískos, meaning a type of serpent and, literally, the diminutive of basileús ('king'). In his encyclopaedic work Naturalis Historia, the Roman scholar Pliny the Elder described the basilisk as a highly venomous snake with a white marking on its head resembling a crown. According to Pliny, its only natural enemy was the weasel, whose scent alone could overcome the creature.

During the Middle Ages, the basilisk evolved into the mythical hybrid we know today – part cockerel, part snake and, in some traditions, part toad. Many legends revolve around the same questions: How can its deadly gaze be defeated? What could possibly overcome such a monster?

Deep beneath Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in Scotland. Even in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (1998), the basilisk plays a central role. Here it appears as a gigantic serpent controlled by Tom Riddle, later known as Lord Voldemort. Rowling's basilisk, too, possesses a deadly gaze. Those who avoid looking directly into its eyes – for instance, by looking at it in a mirror – are 'merely' turned to stone.

Schönlaterngasse No. 7. Legend has it that a strange creature was discovered in the well of baker Martin Garhiebl at the famous Basilisk House on 26 June 1212.

Not only was the little monster's breath poisonous, but its gaze could kill or turn people to stone. Time and again, people disappeared or died after approaching the well. Fear spread until a courageous baker's apprentice allowed himself to be lowered into the well in a basket. He carried a mirror with him. When the basilisk looked into it, it was struck down by its own deadly gaze. – This goes to show that even monsters have something to fear.

In the Garden of Mythical Creatures. But what if you don't happen to have a mirror? The heroine in Thomas Brezina's story has another idea: "Violetta picked up the silver tray, turned its polished surface towards the basilisk and took a step closer..." – To discover what happens next, read the collector's album.

The Coin Motifs

A vividly coloured basilisk dominates the coin. Its head and wings resemble those of a cockerel, while its legs are those of a toad and its hindquarters end in a serpent's tail.

At the lower left are an ornament printed in gold and a mirror. A decorative band around the rim is also printed in gold.

The obverse features an intricately decorated key with the letter 'F' – 'F' as in fantasy. In the background, a sun is depicted in the style of a silhouette, recessed into a circular relief with a subtle texture. The stars sparkling at the edge and all around, as well as the irregularly shaped letters, create a magical effect.

The basilisk takes centre stage on the fourth coin in the Mythical Creatures series. Twelve coins, twelve mysterious beings – when illuminated with ultraviolet light, each appears to come to life. The matching ultraviolet torch is available separately.

Thomas Brezina's book In the Garden of Mythical Creatures serves as the collector's album for the 12 legendary beings.