A ballerina caught mid-dance on a full ounce of pure gold is the central image of the Belarusian 200 roubles «Belarusian Ballet»: the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus issued the coin on 28 December 2005, and the theme continued with coins dated 2006, 2007 and 2013.

The reverse shows at its centre a ballerina in relief, mid-dance, with the inscription «BELARUSKI BALET» to her right. On the obverse the State Coat of Arms is set in a circle framed by a geometric ornament, with «RESPUBLIKA BELARUS» and the denomination «200 RUBLYOU» around the rim.

The coin is the fruit of international collaboration: the obverse was designed by the Belarusian artist Svetlana Zaskevich, the reverse by the German medallist Michael Schulze, and it was struck at the State Mint in Berlin. It belongs to the «History and Culture» series, in which the National Bank presents the country’s traditions and arts.

The mintage is 1,500 pieces, and the metal is 999 gold weighing 31.1 g — a full troy ounce of pure gold. For a collector of theatre and ballet themes it is the natural place to begin the run of «Belarusian Ballet» gold ounces: the next one, dated 2006, is already devoted to a specific national production.

The coin was struck in proof quality: polished dies give a mirror field on which the frosted figure of the ballerina seems to step onto a lit stage. This finish is made specifically for collections and keeps its value when stored carefully in a capsule.

A coin in a collection is a reason to learn more about history, and the VPcoins catalogue offers many such reasons.