SOLOMON ISLANDS
REIGN OF ELIZABETH II (1952-PRESENT) - HOUSE OF WINDSOR
40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF GUADALCANAL
CERTIFIED BY NGC PROOF 70 ULTRA CAMEO
OBV: ELIZABETH II, YOUNG BUST RIGHT
REV: UNIFORMED AMERICAN SOLDIERS "HITTING THE BEACH", RIBBON BENEATH WITH LEGEND "GUADALCANAL"; DENOMINATION BELOW.
KM #14
IN 1942, IN THE PACIFIC THEATRE OF WAR DURING WWII, THE ALLIES LAUNCHED THEIR FIRST MAJOR OFFENSIVE AGAINST THE EMPIRE OF JAPAN IN THE SOUTHERN SOLOMON ISLANDS.
ON THE TROPICAL ISLAND OF GUADALCANAL (ISATABU), AMERICAN FORCES LANDED WITH THE INTENT OF ENDING THE JAPANESE THREAT TO COMMUNICATION AND SUPPLY LINES BETWEEN THE U.S. AND AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND.
U.S. NAVAL FORCES BOMBARDED THE JAPANESE DURING THE ASSAULT, AND AMERICAN AND ALLIED TROOPS OVERWHELMED AND SURPRISED THE JAPANESE DEFENDERS OF GUADALCANAL AND TWO OTHER ISLANDS.
AFTER THREE MAJOR LAND, SEVEN MAJOR SEA AND CONTINUAL AERIAL ENGAGMENTS, JAPAN ABADONED THEIR ATTEMPTS AT RETAKING THE ISLANDS.
THE SIX-MONTH LONG GUADALCANAL CAMPAIGN MARKED THE END OF JAPANESE CONQUEST AND THE BEGINNING OF OFFENSIVE ALLIED OPERATIONS IN THE SOLOMONS, NEW GUINEA AND THE CENTRAL PACIFIC, CULMINATING WITH THE SURRENDER OF JAPAN IN 1945.
AT THE END OF THE BATTLE, PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT REMARKED, "IT WOULD SEEM THAT THE TURNING POINT IN THIS WAR HAS AT LAST BEEN REACHED."
CONTAINS 9.37 GRAMS OF .900 FINE GOLD (0.271 OZ AGW)
27 MM IN DIAMETER
RARE - ONLY 311 MINTED!
FRANKLIN MINT
