HASHEMITE KINGDOM OF JORDAN
REIGN OF KING HUSSEIN BIN TALAL (1952-1999)
COMMEMORATING THE PAPAL VISIT OF POPE PAUL VI TO JORDAN
LARGE GOLD TEN DINAR COIN CERTIFIED BY NGC PROOF 69 ULTRA CAMEO
OBV: PORTRAIT BUST OF KING HUSSEIN RIGHT; SMALL CROWN AND MANTLED ARMS TOP; ARABIC SCRIPT LEGEND; AL HIJRI DATE BOTTOM.
REV: WITHIN A CIRCLE PORTRAIT BUST OF POPE PAUL VI RIGHT WITH GESTHSEMANE CHURCH WITH POPLAR TREES IN BACKGROUND RIGHT; STYLIZED LOZENGE AND PELLET BACKGROUND; BOXED ENGLISH DENOMINATION AND GREGORIAN DATE AT BOTTOM.
KM # 26
GESTHSEMANE IS A GARDEN AT THE FOOT OF THE MOUNT OF OLIVES IN JERUSALEM WHERE, ACCORDING TO THE GOSPELS, JESUS AND HIS FOLLOWERS PRAYED THE NIGHT BEFORE THE CRUCIFICTION. DEPICTED ON THIS COIN IS THE CHURCH OF ALL NATIONS, ALSO CALLED THE CHURCH OR BASILICA OF THE AGONY, WHICH ENSHRINES A PORTION OF BEDROCK THAT IS THE PLACE WHERE JESUS IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE PRAYED BEFORE BEING ARRESTED. THE CHURCH IS HELD IN TRUST BY THE FRANCISCAN CUSTODY OF THE HOLY LAND. THE ORDER OF FRIARS MINOR OR "FRANCISCANS" WAS FOUNDED BY ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI. SAINT FRANCIS HIMSELF WENT ON THE 5TH CRUSADE AND MET WITH THE SULTAN OF EGYPT IN 1219, OPENING A SPIRIT OF DIALOGUE AND UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM. THE FRANCISCAN PRESENCE IN THE HOLY BEGAN IN 1217 AND THE ORDER SETTLED AT THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE AND BETHLEHEM IN 1309. POPE CLEMENT VI OFFICIALLY DECLARED THE FRANCISCAN ORDER AS OFFICIAL CUSTODIANS OF THE HOLY LAND IN THE NAME OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN 1342.
POPE PAUL VI (REIGNED 1963-1978), WAS KNOWN AS "THE PILGRIM POPE" FOR HIS EXTENSIVE TRAVELS. HE VISITED JORDAN AND JERUSALEM IN 1964.
CONTAINS 27.64 GRAMS OF .900 FINE GOLD (.7997 OZ AGW)
40 MM IN DIAMETER
ONLY 1,870 MINTED!
