2 AMD #20

Front

Mesrop Mashtots (c. 362–440), Armenian linguist, theologian and ecclesiastical leader who invented the Armenian alphabet in 405 CE. He is shown standing in religious vestments with the Echmiadzin Cathedral in the background, Armenia's mother church and his burial place. Mashtots is revered as one of the most important figures in Armenian history for giving the Armenian people their unique script and enabling the preservation of their language and Christian identity. The national coat of arms appears at left.

Back

Scene depicting the teaching and transmission of the Armenian alphabet. Two figures, likely representing Mesrop Mashtots instructing a student in the newly created Armenian script, are shown before a stone cross (khachkar). This commemorates Mashtots's role not only as creator of the alphabet but as educator and missionary who established schools throughout Armenia to teach reading and writing. The scene symbolizes the preservation of Armenian language, culture, and Christian faith through literacy.

History

This note is part of Armenia's third dram series, issued following the country's independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and the introduction of the dram in 1993. The 1998–2018 series featured Armenian cultural and religious figures. The 2 dram denomination was a low-value note that circulated widely but was eventually superseded by coins. Mesrop Mashtots appears on multiple denominations in Armenian currency history, reflecting his foundational importance to Armenian national identity. The note was printed by Giesecke+Devrient of Germany and includes security features standard for the period.