Silver coin €5 San Marino 2024 – Butterflies

The cassandra (Zerynthia cassandra) is a magnificent butterfly endemic to Italy, recently also discovered in the Republic of San Marino. Highly localized and rare throughout, it is in decline throughout much of its range, where it remains in small, often widely separated populations. Its presence is closely related to the presence of Aristolochia, the only plant on which its caterpillars feed. It is mainly found in wetlands, along water bodies, in wastelands and along the edges of cultivated fields, from plains to altitudes of about 1000 meters above sea level. Typically a spring species, flies from mid-March to late May depending on altitude; it has one annual generation. In Europe it is protected by the Habitats Directive and the Berne Convention.

Obverse: a butterfly in the center on a blade of grass, and in the background there are three towers with three feathers on top.
On the reverse, the butterfly is shown resting on a leaf of the plant on which its caterpillars feed and with which it is closely related.

Denomination: 5 euro
Weight: 18g
Diameter: 32mm
Metal: silver 925
Issue limit: 8000
Packaging: capsule