Description:
This coin celebrates the art of making pysankas – one of the oldest forms of Ukrainian folk painting, impressive through its elegance and the richness of its ornamental motifs, embodying the sun, the birth of life, and the awakening of nature. Pysanka maki
Obverse: in the center of the composition is a stylized tree of life, which is a symbol of the universe depicted in the form of an oak tree – an image of strength, protection, longevity, masculine courage and loyalty. The tree is conventionally divided into three tiers (worlds), with symbols specific to each world. Each world also contains 12 pysanka Easter eggs, reflecting the 12-year cycle.
The upper part of the tree, which reflects the celestial world, depicts a berehynia, a female goddess, the guardian of all things, above which is a stylized flower symbolizing the human soul; the sun, the source of life and the heavenly fire revered since ancient times; a star pattern, called ruzha in Ukrainian, symbolizing the sun, life, development and well-being; a bee, a sign of fertility and hard work; and a bird, the personification of eternity, the immortal soul and the spirits of ancestors.
The trunk of the tree is a representation of the earthly world, which contains images of a deer, an animal that brings light and that is associated with agriculture and knowledge; a horse, a symbol of strength, movement and masculinity; and a ram, the personification of creative energy.
The lower part of the tree, the roots, represents the underworld and water. The following symbols are reproduced here: a sigma (S), which depicts an underground snake, a guardian of the hearth; a protective amulet that combines the signs of a cross, a rhombus, a Swarga, ram’s horns and dots; a fish, a symbol of fertility, life and Christianity; and waves, which represent the continuous movement of water, life and the world as a whole.
Around the tree is a frame made of triangles, symbolizing the trinity of the universe: sky, earth and water, and reflecting the concept of the divine trinity, harmony and completeness through an equilateral triangle.
At the top is the legend УКРАЇНА (Ukraine); beneath the legend are the coin’s face value 10 (to the left), the graphic symbol of the hryvnia (to the right), Ukraine’s small coat of arms, the coin issue year 2025, the mint mark of the NBU’s Banknote Printing and Minting Works, as well as the metal and its fineness – Ag 999 and the coin’s fine weight – 31.1.
Reverse: there is a traditional pysanka from Odesa oblast with spiral motifs, known in Ukrainian as “Sorokoput” or “Cossack Levadas”. The pysanka is decorated with intricate ornaments, each of which has a deep meaning. The Swarga is one of the oldest symbols of the sun, happiness, goodness, wishes for prosperity and protection from harm. The straight and oblique crosses represent the three-dimensional universe that unites different levels of existence. The ladder rungs symbolize spiritual growth, the path to God, and the desire for a more elevated life. The sun on a pysanka represents the source of life, the heavenly fire, which has always been revered as a symbol of warmth and light. Set against a white background, the two Swargas overlap at an angle to create the effect of constant movement and energy. This impression is reinforced by the middle circle, which symbolizes outer space and infinity. The combination of green and black, outlined by a yellow contour, gives the ornament a special tension and strength that inspires and energizes.
