KINGDOM OF THAILAND
REIGN OF KING RAMA IX (BHUMIBOL ADULYADEJ) (1946-PRESENT) - HOUSE OF MAHIDOL, CHAKRI DYNASTY
25th ANNIVERSARY OF THE KING'S REIGN GOLD 800 BAHT ISSUE
CERTIFIED BY NGC MINT STATE 68
OBV: PORTRAIT HEAD OF RAMA IX RIGHT.
REV: ROYAL CYPHER STYLIZED MONOGRAM WITH THE RADIANT GREAT CROWN OF VICTORY; THE THAI SYMBOL FOR "OHM" UNDERNEATH ALL ATOP A PEDESTAL.
Y # 84
KING RAMA IX (BHUMIBOL ADULJADEJ) (B. 1927), WAS BORN IN CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, MAKING HIM THE ONLY MONARCH TO BE BORN IN THE UNITED STATES, WHILE HIS FATHER WAS ENROLLED IN A PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY. HIS FAMILY RETURNED TO THAILAND THE FOLLOWING YEAR. HIS FATHER DIED IN 1929, AND HIS MOTHER TOOK BHUMIBOL AND HIS SIBLINGS TO SWITZERLAND IN 1933. AFTER HIS CHILDLESS UNCLE ABDICATED IN 1935, HIS 9 YEAR OLD BROTHER BECAME KING, BUT THE FAMILY REMAINED IN SWITZERLAND LEAVING RULE TO A REGENCY COUNCIL. IN SWITZERLAND BHUMIBOL WAS EDUCATED AND ALSO BEGAN A LIFELONG INTEREST IN PHOTOGRAPHY, JAZZ MUSIC AND PLAYING THE SAXOPHONE. THE FAMILY RETURNED TO THAILAND AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR. HE SUCCEDED HIS OLDER BROTHER IN 1946 AFTER THE LATTER'S DEATH BY GUNSHOT WOUND AND UNDER MYSTERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES THAT LED TO THE EXECUTION OF TWO ROYAL AIDES. HIS CORONATION TOOK PLACE IN 1950. RAMA IX IS THE WORLD'S LONGEST SERVING HEAD OF STATE AND THE LONGEST REIGNING THAI MONARCH IN HISTORY. AS KING, HE IS RESPECTED AND REVERED BY HIS PEOPLE AS "INVIOLOBLE".
IN THAILAND THE KING RETAINS ENORMOUS POWERS, SOMETIMES SUBJECT TO CONFLICTING INTERPRETATION UNDER THE DEFINED CONSTITUTION. HIS ESTIMATED WORTH IS AROUND 30 BILLION DOLLARS, MANAGED BY A UNIQUE ENTITY THAT IS KNOWN AS THE CROWN PROPERTY BUREAU, WHICH IS NEITHER GOVERNMENTALLY OR PRIVATELY OWNED. BHUMIBOL MARRIED QUEEN SIRIKIT (BORN IN 1932 AS MOM RAJAWONGSE SIRIKIT KITYAKARA) A WEEK BEFORE THE CORONATION IN 1950, AND AFTERWARDS SHE BECAME QUEEN CONSORT. SHE SERVED AS QUEEN REGENT IN 1956 WHILE HER HUSBAND TOOK A SHORT TRADITIONAL SABBATICAL AS A BUDDHIST MONK FOR 15 DAYS. THE ROYAL COUPLE, BOTH CONSIDERED SEMI-DIVINE IN THE TRADITIONAL REGIONS OF THAILAND.
CONTAINS 20 GRAMS OF .900 FINE GOLD
0.5787 OZ AGW
29 MM IN DIAMETER
