The sun on coins

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The sun face is mainly used these days on the coins of some of the countries of South America, where it is known as the The Sun of May (Spanish: Sol de Mayo).

From Wikipedia:

The Sun of May is one of the national emblems of Argentina and Uruguay, and it is featured on the countries' flags. It is a representation of the Inca sun god Inti. The sun, called the Sun of May, is a replica of an engraving on the first Argentine coin, approved in 1813 by the Constituent Assembly, whose value was eight escudos (one Spanish dollar). In form, it is similar to — and may be partially derived from — the sun in splendour common in European heraldry.

The specification "of May" is a reference to the May Revolution which took place in the week from 18th to 25th May 1810, which marked the beginning of independence from the Spanish Empire for the countries that were part of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. There is a legend that as the new government was proclaimed, the sun broke through the clouds, which was seen as a good omen.

In 1978 the sun colour was specified to be golden yellow (amarillo oro), to have an inner diameter of 10 cm, and an outer diameter of 25 cm (the diameter of the sun equals 5⁄6 the height of the white stripe, and the sun's face is 2⁄5 of its height). It features 32 rays, 16 undulated and 16 straight, in alternation.

Image: 8 reales, 1813, United Provinces of the Río de la Plata.

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Chile, 1818, 8 escudos.

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Argentina, 1826, silver 2 soles.

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Argentina, 25 pesos, 1964.

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Argentina, 5 pesos, 1976.

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Argentina, 1 Peso, 2010.  Replica of the obverse of the first national coin.

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Argentina, 2 Pesos, 2010.  Bicentenary of the Revolution of May 1810.

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Bolivia, 5 pesos, 1976.

[Abhay]

Sun face coin from Gwalior Princely State of India, 1/4 (Quarter Anna).

Abhay

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An 8 reales coin of 1836, from the Central American Republic, now Guatemala.

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Argentina, 1000 australs, 1992.  "Encuentro de dos mundos".

[haaseizhere]

Imperial British East Africa company made these coins in 1888 and 1890 with the Sun on them

also the USA started out with her first trial coins before the actual continental currency with a coin with the sun on it 1783... the quote in Latin is a new constellation (or new sun) has risen...

[haaseizhere]

Japan (the empire of the rising sun)

and Iran (maybe Iraq) 18-early 1900's

[haaseizhere]

Rhodesia and Nyasaland 1957 (present day Malawi and Zambia and Zimbabwe...)

[chrisild]

Here is the sun (and other, hmm, celestial bodies) on the German €10 collector coin that commemorates the Nebra Sky Disk ...



Christian