The Gold of the Pharaohs

An aura of mystery surrounds The Gold of the Pharaohs, the second coin in the Magic of Gold series, which is made of pure gold, the ‘flesh of the gods’ and the symbol of eternity in Ancient Egypt. Inscrutable in its beauty, the face of Tutankhamun shines on the coin. In doing so, it guards the secret of the Pharaohs and tells the story in pictures of what took place more than 3,000 years ago.

 All six coins in the Magic of Gold series feature ancient art treasures and the word ‘gold’ is written on each of them in the respective script of the culture they explore: Mesopotamia, ancient Egypt, the Incas, the Scythians, India and China.

In the 14^th century BC, Tutankhamun’s father, Akhenaten, declared the sun god, Aten, the one and only god and the Pharaoh his only representative on earth. When Akhenaten died his successor was still a little boy, but Tutankhamun ascended to the throne just four years later. The Priesthood and officials, it is presumed, made ‘the boy king’ rescind his father’s reforms and restore ancient Egyptian polytheism by reintroducing the worship of multiple gods. Tutankhamun was not even 20 years old when he died. But thanks to Howard Carter, an iconic representation of the boy king lives on. The British archaeologist made a sensational discovery in 1922 when he came across Tutankhamun’s tomb in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings. The most celebrated of all the famous burial objects uncovered is Tutankhamun’s death mask. As symmetrical and unearthly as it appears, Tutankhamun’s face seems natural at the same time, as if the real face of the young Pharaoh has been covered with gold so that it will last for eternity. It is still casting its spell over people in the 21^st century.

Design

The coin’s obverse features a collage of Ancient Egyptian images, with Tutankhamun’s father Akhenaten in its centre. The elder Pharaoh is on his knees with hands raised in homage to the sun god, Aten, as the lance-shaped rays of the solar disk descend towards him. In the background we see a sarcophagus containing a Pharaoh, under which the hieroglyphic for gold can be seen.

The reverse shows a faithful depiction of the death mask of Tutankhamun seen from the front.

Specifications 

Struck in 986 fine gold (1/2 ounce - 15,56 g), exclusively in Proof quality - each coin comes in an attractive box with a numbered certificate of authenticity