5 kroner NORWAY (1996) Polar Ship Fram

in the coin centre head of Harald V King of Norway facing right; along the left and top edge: HARALD V • NORGES KONGE (Harald V King of Norway); along the lower edge face value: • 5 KR • (KRONER) and year of issue: 1996

in the coin centre polar ship Fram in the Arctic ice; below dates: 1893-1896; along the right edge: FRAM OVER POLHAVET (Fram over Arctic Ocean)

plain with concave pattern of six ribbons separated by five mint marks and an initial J of mint's director Jan Erik Johansen

20 V 1996

9 VII 1999

Ingrid Austlid Rise (initials IAR behind king's neck on the obverse and underneath ice at the right edge of the reverse)

Den Kongelige Mynt (The Royal Mint), Kongsberg (five mint marks on the edge; the sixth mark is an initial J of mint's director Jan Erik Johansen)

1996	1 291 909	J	+ 90 000 in annual sets

Until 2006 on Norwegian coinage apart from crossed sledge hammer and chisel - the mint mark of the Norwegian mint, also initials of mint's directors were placed. Let's meet the people standing behind these initials:

B, AB	1961 - 30 VI 1980	Arne Bakken
AB*	1 VII - 31 XII 1980	Ole-Robert Kolberg
K	1981 - 1993	Ole-Robert Kolberg
K*	1994	Jan Erik Johansen
J, JJE	1994 - 2001	Jan Erik Johansen
JJE*	23 VIII - 31 XII 2001	Magne Flagans
MF	2002 - 2006	Magne Flagans

This coin was minted 60 years after opening of the Museum of Polar Ship Fram and commemorates the centenary of accomplishing an attempt to reach by this ship the North Pole. Norwegian explorer, scientist and later Peace Nobel Prize winner Fridtjof Nansen (1861-1930) was the leader of this expedition.


photo: Fridtjof Nansen, source: the Norwegian National Library