Address of the Second Governor, Ljube Trpeski, at the 10th anniversary of the opening of the Museum of the NBRM, Skopje, April 27, 2012

Honorable Governor Bogov,

Distinguished guests of the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia

Dear employees of the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia

 

First of all, I would like to express my thankfulness for being given the opportunity to address you this evening on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the opening of the Museum of the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia.

What I will tell you now might sound odd to you, but trust me - it is true: I have carried with me the idea of the numismatic museum since my college days. As a student of the Faculty of Economic in Skopje, back in 1968, I attended a commercial internship in England, in the city of York, through the organization AIESEC. It was my first trip abroad. On the way back I stayed in London for three days. Among other attractions, I visited the Numismatic Museum of the Bank of England.

I probably spent long time overlooking the museum case which carried the inscription: Coins of the Macedonian kings - and I caused suspicion among the employees of the Museum, so a gentleman approached me and asked me why I stand so long in front of that museum case.

When I told him where I came from, he said he understands why I stand in front of this museum case so long and he also said that I do not need an explanation because I probably know more about Macedonian coins and Macedonian kings than they do.

I was ashamed to tell him that I knew very little or almost nothing.

Fate determined for me to learn and then also to teach the things I did not know and that I was ashamed to admit to the Englishman, later when I was appointed professor of Monetary Finance at the Faculty of Economics. Whenever I teach the part about the history of money on the territory of Macedonia I tell the students about the episode in the Numismatic Museum in London.

Fate wanted me to become a Governor of the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia in April 1997.

The possibility for realization of the idea for a ??numismatic museum which I carried with me for many years, seemed real.

But it did not go so easily.

There was, I would not say resistance, but rather lack of understanding that numismatics should be part of the activities of the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia.

It took me a long time of extensive and persistent explanations, inside and out of the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia, that the numismatic exhibitions are part of the activities of each central bank.

Persistence yielded results.

Not even a year after my appointment as Governor, the National Bank bodies decided that the National Bank should start with numismatic activity.

For this purpose, in 1998, a Committee for acquiring numismatic material was established, which comprised of: Nichola Sherdarov, at that time President of the Association of Numismatists of Macedonia, Jovan Kondijanov and Pero Josifovski, curators - numismatists of the Museum of Macedonia and Dobri Mickovski, then Manager of the Cash Management Department of the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia.

Their task was to assess the quality and value of the numismatic material offered for acquisition. They performed and completed their work in a highly professional manner, and on this occasion I want to pay tribute to them.

In a short time we purchased thousands of very valuable coins that were minted or used for payment in Macedonia. But the National Bank started with a systematic processing of the numismatic material when Katerina Hristova was employed in the National Bank. Her knowledge, commitment to work and her persistence, gave the greatest contribution to laying the foundations of the numismatic activity of the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia according to international standards.

Later, with the increase in the number of staff in the Numismatic Unit, the need for the Committee for acquiring numismatic material was extinguished, because the employees themselves were sufficiently specialized in this activity which they are still carrying out, I am sure, with high professionalism and commitment.

In 2000, the systematic processing of the numismatic material from the Collection began, and the National Bank invested serious effort to provide all conditions for organizing a permanent museum activity. In this period the numismatic working cabinet and the specialized numismatic library were created, a laboratory for conservation of metal archaeological objects was established and we started the preparations for creating a museum space that will house the permanent exhibition. In 2001, the Numismatic Unit was established within the Cash Management Department, and that year, the Ministry of Culture gave a formal permission to the National Bank to possess a museum collection, as the conditions for the smooth functioning of a highly professional museum activity were fulfilled. On April 25, 2002, in honor of celebrating the 10th anniversary of monetary independence, in this area, the first permanent museum exhibition was opened. For the first time, the public was given the opportunity to learn the history of monetary units and monetary systems in Macedonia in a very original way, and it contributed to the national efforts to promote its universal and lasting values, which truly raised the standards for museum displaying of its archaeological treasures.

The commitment in collecting and care for the maintenance of coins of the employees in the Numismatic Unit in the National Bank, on the one hand, and the understanding of the National Bank management for their needs, on the other, allowed in the period from 1999, when we practically began with the acquisition of coins, until early 2004, to purchase or obtain through donations over 16,000 pieces of coins which were minted or were used in Macedonia. Moreover, I have to mention that due to their uniqueness some of them would be desired by the most prestigious museums in the world. Here I would mention the unique Paionian coin of King Teutaos from late 5th century BC, then certainly it is essential to emphasize the collection of staters of ancient Macedonian kings, the collection of coins of the town of Stobi. I am particularly proud that we managed to make this collection to be the largest public collection in the world. The solidi of Justin I and Justinian, then the silver dinars of Volkashin, Uglesha, Andreash and Andrija Gropa also deserve attention.

The National Bank management also showed full understanding for the need of studying and research on the monetary history of Macedonia, and gave great support for the scientific research work of the Numismatic Unit, and for the significant research in this area made ??in the Republic of Macedonia at that time, by wholeheartedly assisting the publication of several studies pertaining to the production, circulation and use of money in the societies that past civilizations have formed on our territory. They are now part of numerous Macedonian and foreign libraries.

Finally, it is better the books on Macedonian coins to be found in foreign libraries and museums, and the coins to be in our museums.

By establishing this museum, we have contributed a significant part of our cultural heritage to remain in Macedonia. I hope that the National Bank will continue with the same enthusiasm that we had in the first years of establishing the Museum to develop and enrich it in the future.

Тhank you.