20 Euro Austria 2021 - THE WISDOM OF THE OWL

Despite the nocturnal hunter's ability to turn its oversized head up to 270 degrees, the omniscient serenity it projects while sitting otherwise motionless on a branch is eerily reminiscent of elderly members of our own species. Perhaps this is why we humans have always recognized ourselves in the owl. The light of wisdom seems to shine from the bird's eyes, so much so that it was once believed that the owl itself produced the light, its eyes like round windows magically illuminating the darkness. The equation of light with wisdom stems from the Western worldview, which from time immemorial has launched the light of reason into a battle against the forces of darkness.

The reverse of the coin is dominated by the stylized face of an owl with eyes of brilliant golden-yellow, multi-faceted Swarovski® crystals, while the obverse of the coin features an owl seated on a branch, from where it looks down patiently and persistently in search of its prey. The bird is surrounded by decorations reminiscent of ancient Greek ornaments.