REPUBLIC OF AFGHANISTAN (1973-1978)
CONSERVATION SERIES - MARCO POLO SHEEP
GOLD TEN-THOUSAND AFGHANIS COIN CERTIFIED BY NGC MINT STATE 62
RARE - ONLY 694 MINTED!
OBV: NATIONAL REPUBLIC EMBLEM; WESTERN DATE BELOW; REPUBLIC NAME IN ENGLISH.
REV: MARCO POLO SHEEP RIGHT WITH HEAD AND HORNS FACING; PASHTO SCRIPT/DENOMINATION.
MARCO POLO SHEEP (OVIS AMMON POLII) IS AN ARGALI MOUNTAIN SHEEP SUBSPECIES NOTED FOR ITS SIZE AND LARGE SPIRAL HORNS (THE LONGEST OF ALL SHEEP). NAMED FOR MARCO POLO THE VENETIAN 13th CENTURY EXPLORER AND TRAVELLER TO THE ORIENT, THE SHEEP WERE FIRST MENTIONED IN HIS BOOK THE TRAVELS OF MARCO POLO.
MARCO POLO SHEEP ARE UNDER THREAT OF EXTINCTION DUE TO WIDESPREAD COMMERCIAL HUNTING. THE LAST KING OF AFGHANISTAN POPULARIZED THE HUNTING OF MARCO POLO SHEEP IN THE 1950's AND AMERICAN HUNTERS PAY UPWARDS OF $20,000 FOR A SHEEP HUNTING EXPEDITION. THERE ESTIMATED POPULATION IS AROUND 10,000 ANIMALS.
THE REPUBLIC OF AFGHANISTAN WAS FOUNDED BY MOHAMMED DAOUD KHAN, AFGHANISTANS FIRST PRESIDENT, AFTER DEPOSING HIS COUSIN KING MOHAMMED ZAHIR SHAH IN A BLOODLESS COUP. DAOUD KHAN WAS A PROGRESSIVE THAT TRIED TO MODERNISE HIS COUNTRY WITH AMERICAN AND SOVIET HELP. THE YEAR THIS COIN WAS STRUCK, DAOUD KHAN AND HIS ENTIRE FAMILY WERE ASSASSINATED DURING THE SAUR REVOLUTION LED BY THE COMMUNIST PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
KM # 982
33.4370 GRAMS OF .900 FINE GOLD (.9676 OZ AGW)
33 MM IN DIAMETER
ONLY 694 MINTED!
