The Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) on Monday put into circulation the “100th birth anniversary of Gerard L. Cafesjian” gold collector coin.

The collector coin is dedicated to the 100th birth anniversary of Gerard L. Cafesjian, the CBA informs.

Gerard Leon Cafesjian (1925–2013) was a well-known Armenian American businessman and benefactor.

He was born in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, to an Armenian family that immigrated to the United States in the years preceding the Armenian Genocide. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and participated in World War II.

He studied at Hunter College and St. John’s University Law School in New York. He was a member of the New York Bar Association.

In the 1950s, Cafesjian began his long-term professional career at West Publishing, where, years later, he assumed the position of the company’s executive vice president. Having achieved business success, Cafesjian became involved in charitable activities, focusing mainly on Armenia. He was a member of the board of trustees of the Armenian Genocide Museum in Washington, D.C. and made a significant donation to the Museum and to the construction of a memorial to the victims of the genocide.

In 1996, he created the Cafesjian Family Foundation, which has financed numerous pro-patriotic projects. In 2009, the Cafesjian Center for the Arts opened in the Cascade architectural complex in Yerevan. The Center serves as a unique platform where people may enjoy the artworks from Cafesjian’s private collection, the exquisite and standout works of famous artists representing various trends in art. The complex, which receives more than a million visitors a year, has now become one of the most important cultural landmarks in Yerevan.

A carousel with cultural and historical value in Minnesota bears Cafesjian’s name in recognition of his efforts to prevent the dismantling and sale of the carousel.

Obverse: the monument symbolizing the collective image of an Armenian benefactor (“Alley of Armenian Benefactors” memorial complex), the inscriptions «ԵՐԱԽՏԱՊԱՐՏՈՒԹՅՈՒՆ» (“Gratitude” in Armenian) and “GRATITUDE”.

Reverse: the portrait of Gerard L. Cafesjian and the image of the jewel “Park City Circus Parade.”

The coin was minted at the Mint of Poland.

Technical specification

Face value                          10,000 drams

Metal/fineness                               gold 9000

Weight                                8.6 g

Diameter                            22 mm

Quality                                 proof

Edge                                     ribbed

Quantity of issue                          300 pieces

Year of issue                     2025