EMPIRE OF ETHIOPIA (1137-1936 / 1941-1974)
REIGN OF HAILE SELASSIE I (1930-1974) - SOLOMONIC (SOLOMONID) DYNASTY
RARE EE 1964 // 1972 SERIES HONORING ETHEOPIA'S RULERS - MENELIK II
FIFTY DOLLAR GOLD COIN CERTIFIED BY NGC PROOF 66 ULTRA CAMEO
OBV: CROWNED PORTRAIT BUST OF MENELIK II RIGHT.
REV: DEPICTS THE IMPERIAL CREST OF THE CROWNED LION OF JUDAH CARRYING A RIBBONED STAFF WITH CROSS; DATE BELOW; SMALL PRIVY MARK "NI" WREATHED TO RIGHT OF DATE AND ENGRAVED NUMBER LEFT OF DATE.
KM # 57
ACCORDING TO LEGEND, THE HOUSE OF SOLOMON WAS DESCENDED FROM MENELIK, THE SON OF KING SOLOMON OF ISRAEL AND THE QUEEN OF SHEBA.
THE DYNASTY CAME TO POWER IN 1270 AD, AND WITH THE AID OF A BRITISH MISSION, SUCCESFULLY UNITED ALL OF ETHIOPIA INTO ONE COUNTRY IN 1855.
EMPEROR MENELIK II (REIGNED 1889-1913), WAS KEENLY INTERESTED IN MODERNIZING HIS NATION, AND INTRODUCING WESTERN TECHNOLOGIES AND ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEMS TO ETHIOPIA. HE PROCLAIMED HIMSELF EMPEROR UPON THE DEATH OF YOHANNES IV (REIGNED 1872-1889), WHO WAS KILLED WHILE FIGHTING THE MAHDIST SUDANESE. HE WAS CONSIDERED BY MANY TO BE THE FATHER OF MODERN ETHIOPIA. EARLY IN HIS REIGN HE CURBED ITALIAN ENCROACHMENT BY DEFEATING AN ITALIAN INVADING FORCE IN ERITREA AND FORCED ITALY TO RECOGNIZE ETHIOPIA'S SOVEREIGN INDEPENDENCE. HE ALSO COUNTERACTED BRITISH COLONIAL EXPANSION BY ALLYING WITH IMPERIAL RUSSIA. HE SUFFERED A STROKE IN 1909, AND THE COUNTRY WAS RULED BY REGENCY UNTIL HIS DEATH IN 1913.
CONTAINS 20.0 GRAMS OF .900 FINE GOLD (.5787 OZ AGW)
32 MM IN DIAMETER
