TUNISIAN REPUBLIC
COMMEMORATING 10th ANNIVERSARY OF THE REPUBLIC (1957-1967)
LARGE (2.2 OZ) GOLD 40 DINARS CERTIFIED BY NGC PROOF 68 ULTRA CAMEO
OBV: PORTRAIT HEAD LEFT OF PRESIDENT HABIB BOURGUIBA; FRENCH AND ARABIC DUAL LANGUAGE SURROUNDING LEGEND.
REV: 3/4 FACING FACADE OF THE TOWER MINARET OF THE GREAT MOSQUE AT KAIROUAN; FRENCH AND ARABIC DUAL LANGUAGE SURROUNDING LEGEND; ANNIVERSARY DATES FLANK MINARET; DENOMINATION AT BOTTOM.
KM # 290
DEPICTED ON THE OBVERSE IS HABIB BOURGUIBA (b. 1903; d. 2000), FOUNDER OF THE TUNISIAN REPUBLIC, AND IT'S FIRST PRESIDENT FROM 1957-1987. IN 1956, TUNISIA DECLARED INDEPENDENCE FROM FRANCE, AND BOURGUIBA WAS MADE HEAD OF STATE, PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, AS WELL AS PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY. BY 1957, THE REPUBLIC WAS PROCLAIMED AND THE MONARCHY ABOLISHED. BOURGUIBA WAS VESTED WITH ALMOST DICTATORIAL POWERS BY THE CONSTITUTION AS FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE NEW REPUBLIC. HIS OPPONENTS WERE OFTEN IMPRISONED, HIS RULE AUTHORITARIAN AND DEVOID OF WESTERN DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPALS. THE MEDIA WAS EXPECTED TO PRACTICE SELF CENSORSHIP AND CIVIL LIBERTIES WERE SUBJECT TO "LIMITS PRESCRIBED BY LAW". HE ESTABLISHED A PERSONALITY CULT WHICH LAUDED HIM AS THE "SUPREME WARRIOR" OF THE NATION. HE WAS PRO-WESTERN IN THE COLD WAR, CHALLENGED THE LEADERSHIP OF ARAB LEAGUE PRESIDENT NASSER OVER THE MAINTENANCE OF INDEPENDENT FOREIGN POLICY, AND SUPPORTED A LASTING AND EQUITABLE PEACE BETWEEN PALESTINIANS AND ISRAELIS. HE WAS MADE PRESIDENT FOR LIFE IN 1975. IN THE 1980'S HE FOUGHT POVERTY AND STOOD AGAINST ISLAMIST OPPOSITION, AND TUNISIA MAINTAINED ONE OF THE MOST REPRESSIVE REGIMES IN THE ARAB WORLD. AFTER THE 1980's BOURGUIBA'S BEHAVIOR BECAME INCREASINGLY ERRATIC, AND IN 1987 HE WAS REPLACED AFTER BEING DECLARED MENTALLY INCAPABLE OF CARRYING OUT HIS DUTIES.
PICTURED ON THE REVERSE OF THIS COIN IS THE MINARET OF THE HOLY GREAT MOSQUE AT KAIROUAN (or MOSQUE OF UQBA or SIDI UQBA) LOCATED IN THE TUNISIAN CITY OF KAIROUAN (al-QAYRAWAN). THE CITY WAS FOUNDED BY THE ARABS AROUND 670 AD, AND IN THE MIDDLE AGES WAS CONSIDERED TO BE THE THIRD MOST HOLY SITE IN ISLAM AFTER MECCA AND MEDINA. THE MOSQUE WAS BUILT AT THE TIME OF THE CITY'S FOUNDING BY THE ARAB GENERAL UQBA ibn NAFI, AND IT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT RELIGIOUS SITES IN TUNISIA. THE PRESENT LAYOUT DATES FROM THE 9th CENTURY. ONE OF THE OLDEST PLACES OF WORSHIP IN THE MUSLIM WORLD, THE MOSQUE COVERS 9,000 SQUARE FEET, AND IS ONE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST IMPRESSIVE MOSQUES IN NORTH AFRICA. ALMOST ALL OF THE BUILDING MATERIALS USED IN THE MOSQUE WERE TAKEN FROM THE RUINS OF THE ANCIENT CITY OF CARTHAGE. IT IS AN ARCHITECTURAL MASTERPIECE, AND IS SAID TO BE THE ANCESTOR OF ALL MOSQUES IN THE WESTERN ISLAMIC WORLD. THE UQBA MOSQUE TOWER IS A MINARET USED BY THE MUEZZINS TO CALL THE PEOPLE TO PRAYER.
76 GRAMS OF .900 FINE GOLD (2.2 OZ AGW)
50 MM IN DIAMETER
3,031 MINTED
MINTED BY NUMISMATIC ITALIANO, AREZZO ITALY
