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 - YOHANNES IV
FIFTY DOLLAR GOLD COIN CERTIFIED BY NGC PROOF 68 ULTRA CAMEO
OBV: 3/4 FACING CROWNED PORTRAIT BUST OF YOHANNES IV.
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 # 56
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.
YOHANNES IV (REIGNED 1872-1889) DEFENDED ETHIOPIA AGAINST THE OTTOMON TURKS AND THE MAHDIST SUDANESE. HE WAS REGARDED AS A GREAT PATRIOT AND MARTYR TO THE ETHIOPIAN ORTHODOX FAITH. A SWORN ENEMY OF EMPEROR TEWODROS II, YOHANNES GAVE LOGISTIC AND POLITICAL SUPPORT TO THE BRITISH EXPEDITIONARY FORCE IN THE ABYSSINIA CAMPAIGN OF 1868. THE BRITISH HAD GIVEN HIM A LARGE CACHE OF WEAPONS FOR HIS HELP, AND HE DEFEATED AND DEPOSED HIS RIVAL, EMPEROR TEKLE GIYORGIS II (REIGNED 1868-1872), AND BECAME EMPEROR. YOHANNES IV WAS MORTALLY SHOT WHILE BEHIND ENEMY LINES, DURING A CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE SUDANESE MUSLIM MAHDISTS IN 1889.
CONTAINS 20.0 GRAMS OF .900 FINE GOLD (.5787 OZ AGW)
32 MM IN DIAMETER
ONLY 12,000 MINTED!
