Obverse. Photo © Coinsberg.com
  • 1 Pound 1993, KM# 810, Egypt, 20th Anniversary of the October War
  • 1 Pound 1993, KM# 810, Egypt, 20th Anniversary of the October War
Description

The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War, or October War, also known as the 1973 Arab–Israeli War, was a war fought by a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria against Israel from October 6 to 25, 1973. The fighting mostly took place in the Sinai and the Golan Heights, territories that had been occupied by Israel since the Six-Day War of 1967. Egyptian President Anwar Sadat also wanted to reopen the Suez Canal.

The war began when the Arab coalition launched a joint surprise attack on Israeli positions in the Israeli-occupied territories on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism, which also occurred that year during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Egyptian forces crossed the cease-fire lines, then advanced virtually unopposed into the Sinai Peninsula. After three days, Israel had mobilized most of its forces and halted the Egyptian offensive, resulting in a military stalemate. The Syrians coordinated their attack on the Golan Heights to coincide with the Egyptian offensive and initially made threatening gains into Israeli-held territory. Within three days, however, Israeli forces had pushed the Syrians back to the pre-war ceasefire lines. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) then launched a four-day counter-offensive deep into Syria. Within a week, Israeli artillery began to shell the outskirts of Damascus. The Israelis then counter-attacked at the seam between the two Egyptian armies, crossed the Suez Canal into Egypt, and began slowly advancing southward and westward towards the city of Suez in over a week of heavy fighting that resulted in heavy casualties on both sides.

By October 24, the Israelis had improved their positions considerably and completed their encirclement of Egypt's Third Army and the city of Suez. This development led to tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union, and a ceasefire was imposed cooperatively on October 25 to end the war.

Obverse

Depicts an Egyptian soldier with a flag in front of him Nile and wheat ear (left), pyramids and cogwheel (right), the sun behind and the inscription "The 20th Anniversary of October War Victory" below. Designer's name on the bottom.

الذكرى العشرون لنصر اكتوبر

Reverse

Dates (Hegira and Gregorian) in mirrored stylized flowers, calligraphic art state name "Arab Republic of Egypt" in the center with two smoking chimneys (above) and denomination below.

١٤١٤ - ١٩٩٣
جمهورية مصر العربية
واحد جنيه

Edge
Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Non-circulating)
Material Silver
Fineness 0.720
Weight 15 g
Diameter 35 mm
Thickness -
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Cairo Mint

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20th Anniversary of the October War

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