The E-Sylum:  Volume 7, Number 43, October 24, 2004, Article 14

DID ?PASSION? WIN THE PRIZE?

  Dick Johnson writes: "Seldom do I criticize the design of a
  foreign coin. One of the strangest coin designs was announced
  recently, October 4, 2004.  It is an eight-Euro coin from
  Portugal. I understand people in Europe love soccer. Pardon
  me, football! They issued a new coin, struck by the
  Portuguese Mint, they call it "The Passion for Football."

  The obverse looks like Lawrence Welk?s bubble machine
  gone wild below an inverted pyramid.

  The reverse is, well, half a hundred hearts and flowers --
  without the flowers ? and with the hearts in as many misshapen
  ways to bend a heart as the designer could make.

  Pray tell me where is the symbolism for football? I get the
  symbols for passion, if bubbles and rubber hearts idealize
  passion.

  The coin was exhibited at the "Vicenza Numismatica" coin
  show in Italy this week. The "Passion for Football" eight-Euro
  coin design was up for a prize to have been awarded October
  16th. The vice president of the Portuguese Football
  Federation was ecstatic about the coin. "We feel this is another
  proof of the dimension of the success of EURO 2004 beyond
  the football pitch," said Angelo Brou. "This coin represents
  exactly the love and passion of this country about football."

  Kick this one into the net. Click on: Kick

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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