For centuries, lamps have illuminated the path of civilization: they have guided great thoughts through the night, and stood vigil with lonely passions. A metaphor for joy and prosperity, for hope, for life itself, the lamp is one of the most enduring and useful of human inventions. This simple coin, minted in a time of struggle, is nonetheless adorned with images of peace and hope. It remains as a proud token of man's desire to live free. Like the lamp, it is symbolic of an ancient dream, a faith in mankind that has survived and prospered through the centuries.