2023 Nevada Goldback Set

Description

One Nevada Goldback – Caritas (Charity)

The virtue of Caritas, or Charity, graces the design of Nevada’s 1 Goldback Denomination. Her depiction is inspired by an image of Mary, the mother of Jesus, found in St. Augustine’s Catholic Church in Austin, Nevada. This church holds significance as the state’s oldest Catholic building, with Catholicism being the predominant religion in Nevada. The artwork, true to Goldback designs, is replete with symbolic imagery.

Major symbols associated with Charity in the design include the Sierra Nevada Lily, positioned below Mary’s feet to the right, and the Mary Magdalene Rose to her left. Cherubs crown Mary with burning hearts on either side. Charity’s lit candle, held in her hand, and the rising sun of Nevada through a window further accentuate the design.

Many design elements borrow inspiration from St. Mary of the Mountains Catholic Cathedral in Virginia City, which has now evolved into Saint Mary in the Mountains Catholic Church & Museum. These elements include the window, a candlestick on the window sill’s right corner, and the columns framing the design. Hidden within the artwork, below Mary’s dress, are the word “Love,” symbols of a square, compass, wagon wheel, and rosary beads. Observers will also notice an ash tree, representing Las Vegas’s status as the world’s wedding capital, and a family of ring-necked pheasants, symbolizing the nurturing and protection of a family.

Five Nevada Goldback – Sophia (Wisdom)

The Nevada 5 Goldback Denomination showcases the inaugural portrayal of the Virtue Sophia, synonymous with Wisdom, presented in the visage of Athena. Symbolizing divine inspiration and evolution, Sophia is enveloped by an array of emblems and innovations intrinsic to Nevada.

Among them are the edifices of the University of Las Vegas and the University of Nevada, the quartz mill from the State Seal, a vintage Hoover Dam helmet, a collection of books and scrolls, and notably, works by Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain). Other symbols encompass a wagon wheel, pen and ink, a silver mine car, and the State’s No. 40 Locomotive. A salient feature is a scroll displaying excerpts from the 15th Amendment, underscoring Nevada’s pioneering move to endorse it, ensuring voting rights irrespective of race.

Adorned in her iconic battle attire, Sophia wears a lifted helm, arm protectors, and a breastplate and is equipped with her shield and lance. Wisdom’s emblematic owl is depicted on the gorget around her neck. In her grasp is a pickaxe, nodding to the mining heritage pivotal to Nevada’s growth.

As is customary in Nevada Goldback designs, a pillar is present, and here Sophia stands atop an open tome, supported by the pillar, inscribed with the Great Seal of Nevada’s credo, “All for Our Country.” Other symbols woven into the design include Nevada’s Mountain Bluebird and the White Pine, referencing the scenic White Pine County on Nevada’s eastern border.

Ten Nevada Goldback – Justitia (Justice)

The Virtue Justitia, representing Justice, graces the Nevada 10 Goldback Design for the second time. Distinctly, she’s unveiled, with a veil drawn away from her visage. Her design mirrors the Statue of Justice at the Storey County Courthouse in Virginia City, Nevada. During its establishment in the Wild West era, Nevada’s Justices of the Peace desired to convey the omnipresence of Justice, emphasizing that she observes all misdeeds with a vigilant gaze. Those of the courthouse artistically inspire the pillar adjacent to Justitia.

In the backdrop, wild horses gallop freely. Beneath the mountains lies the distinctive Pyramid Lake, positioned in southeastern Washoe County. This lake sits ensconced between various mountain ranges and terrains, including the Lake Range, Virginia Mountains, Pah Rah Range, and the Fox Range, with the Smoke Creek Desert to its north.

The word “Battleborn” is etched on the pillar supporting Justice, echoing the language of the State Flag and paying homage to Nevada’s origins during the Civil War era. Below, there’s a depiction of a badger alongside indigenous mesquite trees. Observers will discern a six-shooter and a 30-30 rifle adjacent to a wine barrel, embossed with the emblematic label “Cup Bearer Wine, Cana Dry Red” (bearing more profound significance in the broader artwork), and Sandhill Cranes grace the farther backdrop.

Twenty-five Nevada Goldback – Fortitudine (Fortitude)

Fortitudine, symbolizing Fortitude, marks the final novel virtue introduced in the Nevada Goldback Series. Drawing inspiration from Nike, the winged Greek deity of Victory, her design underscores the theme: “Fortitude paves the path to Victory over Vice.” This theme resonates in depicting a bobcat poised to leap upon a tortoise, often colloquially termed a “land crocodile.” Furthermore, Fortitudine evokes the essence of the trumpeting angels gracing the walls of Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, heralding a triumphant proclamation.

Adorning her head is the laurel wreath, symbolic of honor, while a palm leaf in her left hand epitomizes victory. A standout element of the artwork is the portrayal of pillars emerging from a desert, experiencing the rare phenomenon of a “super bloom.”

This imagery captures Fortitude’s enduring influence in binding Nevada and its inhabitants across eras. The design is also enriched with depictions of barrel cactus, sagebrush in bloom mirroring Nevada’s State Flag, and a blossoming Joshua tree, among other covert symbols, all set against the picturesque backdrop of the Red Rock Canyon, situated close to Las Vegas.

Fifty Nevada Goldback – Liberty (Libertas)

Libertas, representing Liberty, are the pinnacle Virtue design in each U.S.-based Goldback series and reemerge beneath Nevada’s starlit night. Amidst the Sierra Nevada mountains, she takes the form of the biblical Eve, the progenitor of humanity, with semblances inspired by a statue of Aphrodite in Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas.

Through the artist’s lens, she embodies the tale of a liberated woman, using her autonomy and decision-making power to catalyze the birth of humanity. In her left hand, she proudly elevates a pomegranate, a metaphor for the entirety of humankind. Conversely, her right hand clutches a vertical rod, symbolic of royalty and subtly alluding to the vertical mining methods propelling Nevada’s stature as a premier precious metal hub.

Libertas stands regally atop a stone plinth, adorned with a seashell, a frequent accompaniment in Aphrodite’s iconography. At her base lies a basket brimming with pomegranates. Adjacently, there’s a biblical portrayal of a stone altar with a blaze atop, reflecting a biblical rite of gratitude for the gift of freedom.

To Liberty’s right, a petite pillar supports a world orb, amplifying Liberty’s global mission. Nevada’s Desert Bighorn Sheep, epitomizing both tenacity and agility, roam both behind and in front, celebrating their unbridled freedom in Nevada’s towering terrains. The Bristlecone Pine, one of the planet’s most ancient trees, underscores Liberty’s enduring and paramount essence.