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Niels Henrik Abel
 The Abel Prize
 Laureate 2011
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 Multimedia 2011

Memorabilia

Few mathematicians have graced their country’s stamps, banknotes and coins as often as Niels Henrik Abel. Memorials to Abel have also been raised throughout Norway.

Here is a small sample of the best known honours conferred upon Abel.

This material was collected by
Nils Voje Johansen and Yngvar Reichelt
and has been published with their permission.

The Abel Monument Stamps 1929 Stamps 2002 Collectibles 500 kroner banknotes Commemorative coin Medals Miscellaneous

Stamps 2002

NK1469-70
Date of issue: 5 June 2002.
Subjects: Niels Henrik Abel, rosette
Artist: Sverre Morken
Values: NOK 5.50 - 22.00
Number printed: 1.5 million stamps of each value
Number per sheet: 50
Printing method: Relief/offset from Joh. Enschedé, Netherlands

NK1469

NK1469
The only existing portrait of Niels Henrik Abel was drawn by Johan Görbitz in 1826. The picture hangs in the University of Oslo Department of Mathematics and was used by Sverre Morken as the basis for engraving the NOK 5.50 stamp. At left we see the lemniscate. It has the form of a figure eight and is a curve of degree four with numerous interesting properties that Abel studied in detail.

NK1470

NK1470
The primary element is a computer-generated guilloché rosette. At left we see the title page of Abel’s collected works from 1881.

NK1483-84
Date of issue: 10 October 2002.
Artist: Sverre Morken
Values: NOK 5.50 - 22.00
Number printed: 250,000 sets
Number per sheet: 50.
Printing method: Relief/offset from Joh. Enschedé, Netherlands

NK1483

NK1483
The same as NK1469, with black overprinting NORDIA 2002.

NK1484

NK1484
The same as NK1470, with black overprinting NORDIA 2002.