Afghanistan 50 Afghanis 1999

History

50 Afghanis 1999, KM# 1037, Afghanistan, Sydney 2000 Summer Olympics, Equestrian

Obverse. Photo © Katz Auction

Description

The 2000 Summer Olympics, also known as Sydney 2000 or the Millennium Olympic Games, took place from September 15 to October 1, 2000, in Sydney, Australia. It was the second time Australia hosted the Summer Olympics and the first in the Southern Hemisphere since Melbourne in 1956.

Sydney won the bid to host the 2000 Games in 1993. Teams from 199 countries participated, competing in over 300 events. The United States led the medal tally, followed by Russia and China, with Australia in fourth place. Several countries, including Cameroon and Colombia, won their first gold medals, while others like Barbados and Saudi Arabia won their first-ever Olympic medals.

Sydney's organization, volunteers, and sportsmanship received universal praise from the international media. The Times called it "one of the most successful events on the world stage," and the Electronic Telegraph hailed it as a benchmark for future Olympics. The success of the Sydney Games influenced London's bid for the 2012 Olympics, with Lord Coe citing them as a benchmark for the spirit of the Games.

The Islamic State of Afghanistan was established by the Peshawar Accords on April 26, 1992, with the participation of many Afghan mujahideen parties after the fall of the socialist government. However, its power was limited due to the country's second civil war, which the Taliban won, capturing Kabul in 1996. Consequently, the Islamic State became a government in exile and led the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance. It remained the internationally recognized government of Afghanistan at the United Nations until 2001. After the overthrow of the first Taliban government, the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan was created, and an Afghan Interim Administration took control with US and NATO assistance. This transitional state later became the Islamic Republic, which lasted until the Taliban regained power in 2021 following a prolonged insurgency.

Obverse	Coat of arms Islamic State of Afghanistan Military Sword Temple (church, mosque, synagogue, pagoda etc.) Mihrab Depicts the coat of arms of the Islamic State of Afghanistan within two crossed swords the country name above and the denomination below in English. The Emblem of the Islamic State of Afghanistan (1992-1996) features the shahada inscription in Arabic at the top. Below this is an image of a mosque with a mihrab and minbar (pulpit). On either side of the mosque are two flags representing Afghanistan, surrounded by wheat sheaves. Beneath the mosque, there is an inscription stating the name of the nation, and below that, the Hijri year 1371 (corresponding to 1992 in the Gregorian calendar), marking the establishment of the Islamic State of Afghanistan. ISLAMIC STATE OF AFGHANISTAN لا اله الا الله محمد رسول الله الله اكبر ۱۳٧۱ د افغانستان اسلامي دولت 50 AFGHANIS
Reverse	Animal (fish, bird, mammal etc.) Horse Deity (god, goddess etc.) Jupiter Sport, Olympics Equestrian Depicts a rider on horseback leaping over an obstacle, accompanied by a statue of Athena. She wears a crested helmet and holds a small figure of Nike, the winged goddess of victory, in her left hand and a spear in her right, symbolizing her martial prowess and role as a warrior. The guardian serpent of the Athenian Acropolis is coiled at her feet. An inscription is placed above, with the city and date below. Equestrian sports made their debut at the modern Olympic Games in 1900 in Paris, featuring five events at the Place de Breteuil arena. Women first participated in the dressage event at the 1952 Helsinki Games, marking it as a mixed-gender event. By 1964, women were allowed to compete in all equestrian events, making it the only fully mixed-gender sport at the Olympics. Medals are awarded to both individual competitors and teams. Athena, or Athene, often called Pallas, is an ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, warfare, and handicraft, later syncretized with the Roman goddess Minerva. As the patron and protectress of cities, particularly Athens, she is honored by the Parthenon on the Acropolis. Her symbols include owls, olive trees, snakes, and the Gorgoneion. Depicted wearing a helmet and holding a spear, Athena originated as an Aegean palace goddess and was closely tied to urban life. Celebrated in the Panathenaia festival, she was also known for her virginity (Athena Parthenos), her role in aiding heroes, and her active involvement in mythological tales like the Iliad and Odyssey. Since the Renaissance, she has symbolized wisdom, arts, freedom, and democracy. XXVII OLYMPIAD SYDNEY 2000 1999
Edge	Plain