Аннотация: The Coin of Mstislav Keldysh (20 złoty of 1976). An antiquarian story.
The Coin of Mstislav Keldysh (20 złoty of 1976). An antiquarian story.
The President of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR Mstislav Keldysh had a very busy day.
But he had a few minutes to visit an average Soviet restaurant in a small scientific city near Moscow.
Vladimir Vasilievich came to this city for some scientific event.
Mutual acquaintances introduced Vladimir Vasilievich to Keldysh and advised to talk to Keldysh.
Any separate official meeting did not take place, but something like a simultaneous, synchronous joint visit to a restaurant near Moscow and a subsequent conversation at a common table turned out.
What can be said in a short meeting?
Keldysh was listening the words of the interlocutor ... he was silent ...
- There is such a principle: Do not fight evil, but do a good ... It seems to me - the right principle ...
Vladimir Vasilievich was silent.
- In the city of Naukograd, we are developing scientific areas that are close in nature to your work ... There are several vacant positions, issues with apartments are being resolved ...
Vladimir Vasilievich was silent.
Keldysh looked attentively at Vladimir Vasilievich and moved on to another topic:
- Sergei Korolev was a smart man. I often remember him. He sometimes comes to me in dreams ... It seems that our small dinner is coming to an end. I will be glad to see you again.
- Meeting with you means a lot to me! Thank you! - Vladimir Vasilievich spoke out.
Keldysh shook his head vaguely.
The waitress came more closely - with the bill - she felt that the customers were about to leave the restaurant.
Keldysh looked into his wallet, then reached into his pockets.
He pulled out a coin.
- Do you accept Polish zlotys? I have a coin from yesterday. This coin - like a gift or a souvenir. Yesterday I visited a restaurant with a foreign delegation, and today in the morning I was in a hurry, I did not take the money. I don"t really need them - everything is at the expense of the state ... Today"s visit to the restaurant was not in my today plan ...
The waitress smiled at the joke about paying the bill in Polish zlotys.
Vladimir Vasilievich paid the bill without any question.
Keldysh looked attentively at Vladimir Vasilievich:
- Take this coin. 20 Polish zloty... As a gift...
Keldysh looked at the coin again and read the text:
- RZECZPOSPOLITA ...
Keldysh handed over the coin to Vladimir Vasilievich.
- Polska nie zginęła ... You know, Korolev understood Polish a little ... When meeting with foreign guests, he could say: "Dziękuję pan!"
- Thanks for the gift!
Keldysh looked kindly at Vladimir Vasilievich:
- I will be glad to see you again!
- Thanks! I hope for a meeting!
Vladimir Vasilievich did not have another meeting with Mstislav Keldysh.
I believe in this plot, script, just as Heinrich Schliemann believed in the touch of Homer's heroes on objects found by Schliemann in Greece.
And the coin passed to me by inheritance.
I will put up this coin for sale ... I will draw up an advertisement for the sale ...
... I compiled the text of the sale announcement:
"Poland 20 Zlotych 1976 Copper-nickel Coin
The Obverse
Portrait of Marceli Nowotko (1893-1942)...
Lettering:
MARCELI NOWOTKO
1893 - 1942
The Reverse
The White Eagle, national coat of arms of Poland...
Lettering:
POLSKA RZECZPOSPOLITA LUDOWA
19 76
ZŁ 20 ZŁ
Coin Condition: This coin looks satisfactory.
The Literary Certificate included [attached].
Pickup, mail.
The level of the price may be discussed.
(The authenticity of the silver and the authenticity of the coins have not been verified and cannot be guaranteed by the seller. The seller makes judgments and estimates, expresses opinions as an ordinary, a regular (simple, average) participant in the commodity turnover; the seller does not have special knowledge about coins, he is not an expert in a (sphere of) numismatic sciences and issues.)"
October 21, 2022 14:12
Translation from Russian into English: October 21, 2022 14:54.
Владимир Владимирович Залесский "Монета Мстислава Келдыша (20 злотых 1976 года). Антикварный рассказ".