MARGARITA SALAS (2024) SILVER COINID92947002
To celebrate International Women's Day on 8 March 2024, a collector's coin dedicated to Margarita Salas is being issued. A biochemist and researcher, she is considered to be the forerunner of molecular biology in Spain.
A scientific reference and pioneer in all professional aspects of her life, her figure serves to vindicate the presence of women in science and to inspire new generations of girls who can see themselves reflected in her.
On the obverse is a portrait of His Majesty King Felipe VI.
On the reverse, next to a DNA chain and the symbol of women, an image of the scientist Margarita Salas Falgueras is reproduced. Around it are the captions 8-M INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY and Margarita Salas.
| Series | International Women's Day |
| Denomination | 8 Reales |
| Year | 2024 |
| Colour | Yes |
| Quality | Proof |
| Diameter (mm) | 40 |
| Face Value (Euro) | 10 |
| Alloy (‰) | 925 |
| Metal | Silver |
| Weight (g) | 27 |
| Maximum Mintage (units) | 7,000 |
MARGARITA SALAS (2024) 8 REALES
Margarita Salas Falgueras, (1938-2019) was a Spanish scientist, medical researcher and author in the fields of biochemistry and molecular genetics. She was a pioneer of molecular biology in Spain, a great advocate of women's rights and an inspiration for generations of women scientists. She has received numerous awards and prizes, including the UNESCO Carlos J. Finlay Prize (1991) and the Santiago Ramón y Cajal National Research Prize (1999).
She holds honorary doctorates from 10 universities. She was elected member of the Spanish Royal Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO).
She directed the Severo Ochoa Centre for Molecular Biology. Salas published more than three hundred and fifty articles in international journals or books and holds eight patents. One of his greatest scientific achievements was the discovery of a technique to amplify the smallest DNA samples in sufficient quantities to perform a complete genomic analysis.