Father’s Day in the United States is observed on the third Sunday of June to pay tribute to fathers. While initially rooted in religious customs, father’s day has become commercialized, featuring the exchange of greeting cards and gifts. Some wear a red rose if their father is alive or a white rose if he has passed away. Father’s day is also celebrated through numismatics. On Father’s Day, let us also honor these personalities who are considered fathers of a field.
Father’s Day Banknotes: Sun Yat-Sen
Sun Yat-sen played a vital role in the Xinhai Revolution which led to the overthrow of the Qing dynasty. He is revered as the ’Father of the Republic of China”, serving as the provisional president of the country and leading the Kuomintang (Nationalist Party of China). Sun Yat Sen is respected by both the Communist Party in Mainland China and the Nationalist Party in Taiwan. His legacy lies in his Three Principles of the People: nationalism, rights of the people, and people’s livelihood.
Sun Yan Sen is featured on the 100 Taiwanese yuan banknote from 2001. His portrait is shown on the note’s obverse along with The Chapter of Great Harmony by Confucius. On the reverse is the Chung-San building in Taipei. The Taiwan 100 yuan dollar banknote is part of the current New Taiwan Dollar banknotes series.
Father’s Day Coins: Emperor Aurelian
Aurelian was a Roman emperor who ruled from 270 to 275 during the Crisis of the Third Century. He achieved a remarkable series of military victories that reunited the disintegrating Roman Empire, which was plagued by barbarian invasions and internal uprisings. He worshipped the pagan god Invictus Sol, the God of the Unconquered Sun. To win over his people and have his religion become widely adopted, he declared December 25 the Feast of his god and canceled public debts. On the same day, Christians gathered to worship Jesus Christ under the ruse of the Feast of Invictus Sol, making Emperor Aurelian the Father of Christmas.
This Father of Christmas: Roman Coin Album includes a bronze coin that was issued during the reign of Emperor Aurelian. The emperor wearing a spiked “radiate” crown is depicted on one side of the coin.
Konstantin Tsiolkovsky
Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky was a Russian and Soviet rocket scientist renowned for his contributions to astronautics. Regarded as one of the founding fathers of modern rocketry and astronautics Tsiolkovsky’s pioneering works inspired prominent Soviet rocket engineers, including Sergei Korolev and Valentin Glushko, who played crucial roles in the success of the Soviet space program. Fueled by his fascination with Jules Verne’s fiction, Tsiolkovsky devised numerous theories on space travel and rocket propulsion. He is hailed as the father of spaceflight and the visionary behind the concept of the space elevator, drawing inspiration from the newly constructed Eiffel Tower in Paris in 1895.
Transnistria 1 Ruble Coin from 2017 was issued to celebrate Konstantin Tsiolkovsky’s 160th year. Its obverse depicts the national emblem. The scientist is portrayed on the reverse of the nickel-plated steel coin.
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is regarded as the founding father of the Republic of Turkey, leading the Turkish War of Independence, defeating the forces of the Allied powers, and establishing the Turkish Republic. He introduced reforms in education, women’s rights, and language, aiming to create a modern, unified, and secular Turkish nation-state. Atatürk’s leadership and accomplishments make him one of the most significant political figures of the 20th century, no wonder his portrait is featured on the obverse of the new Turkish lira banknotes.
Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla is often referred to as the “Father of Alternating Current Electricity.” His inventions in AC power systems made it possible to efficiently transmit electricity over long distances, powering homes, businesses, and industries. He was born in the village of Smiljan which was part of the Austrian Empire of what is now Croatia. His father was an Eastern Orthodox priest, while his mother had a talent for craftsmanship and memorization.
The Yugoslavia 100 million dinara banknote from 1993 depicts the famous inventor on the obverse, along with a magnetic induction calculation formula, an electrical discharge, and Tesla’s electric induction device. On the vertically-oriented reverse are Tesla’s “White Dove”and Tesla’s electromagnetic engine. An image of Nikola Tesla is also visible on the reverse as well as on the watermark area.
