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 - THEODOROS II
FIFTY DOLLAR GOLD COIN CERTIFIED BY NGC PROOF 68 ULTRA CAMEO
OBV: 3/4 FACING PORTRAIT BUST OF THEODOROS II.
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 # 55
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.
THE REIGN OF TEWODROS II (THEODORUS II) (REIGNED 1855-1868) MARKS THE BEGINNING OF MODERN ETHIOPIA AND THE END OF THE ERA OF PRINCES. DURING HIS RULE HE WAS OFTEN ON CAMPAIGN, FIGHTING RECALCITRANT OR DISLOYAL WARLORDS AND LEADERS, BUT HE TRIED TO UNITE AND MODERNIZE ETHIOPIA. UNFORTUNATELY, HIS INCREASINGLY HARSH METHODS AND BRUTAL TACTICS MADE HIM UNPOPULAR, AND A SERIES OF DIPLOMATIC INCIDENTS SPARKED THE BRITISH MILITARY EXPEDITION TO ABYSSINIA IN 1868. THE END RESULT WAS THE DESTRUCTION OF TEWODROS' ARMY AND HIS FOLLOWING SUICIDE, RATHER THAN BEING TAKEN ALIVE. HE SHOT HIMSELF ON EASTER BEFORE THE BRITISH STORMED THE CITADEL AT MAGDALA, WITH A PISTOL THAT WAS A GIFT FROM QUEEN VICTORIA. HE CAME TO BE REGARDED BY THE PEOPLE OF ETHIOPIA AS A SYMBOL OF UNITY.
CONTAINS 20.0 GRAMS OF .900 FINE GOLD (.5787 OZ AGW)
32 MM IN DIAMETER
ONLY 12,000 MINTED!
