Egypt 50 Pounds 1994

History

50 Pounds 1994, KM# 781, Egypt, Pharaonic Treasure / Ancient Egyptian Art, Golden Warrior

Obverse. Image Courtesy of Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS.com)

Description

Ramesses II (variously also spelled Rameses or Ramses, 'Ra is the one who bore him' or 'born of Ra', c. 1303 BC – 1213), also known as Ramesses the Great, was the third pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt. He is often regarded as the greatest, most celebrated, and most powerful pharaoh of the New Kingdom, itself the most powerful period of Ancient Egypt. His successors and later Egyptians called him the "Great Ancestor".

Ramesses II led several military expeditions into the Levant, reasserting Egyptian control over Canaan. He also led expeditions to the south, into Nubia, commemorated in inscriptions at Beit el-Wali and Gerf Hussein. The early part of his reign was focused on building cities, temples, and monuments. He established the city of Pi-Ramesses in the Nile Delta as his new capital and used it as the main base for his campaigns in Syria.

At fourteen, he was appointed prince regent by his father, Seti I. He is believed to have taken the throne in his late teens and is known to have ruled Egypt from 1279 to 1213 BC. Estimates of his age at death vary; 90 or 91 is considered most likely. Ramesses II celebrated an unprecedented thirteen or fourteen Sed festivals (the first held after thirty years of a pharaoh's reign, and then, every three years) during his reign—more than any other pharaoh.

Obverse	Animal (fish, bird, mammal etc.) Horse Military War chariot Person (king, queen, tsar etc.) Ramesses II the Great Depicts the golden warrior (pharaoh Ramesses II driving a war chariot). In ancient Egyptian society chariotry stood as an independent unit in the King’s military force. Chariots are thought to have been first used as a weapon in Egypt by the Hyksos in the 16th century BC. The Egyptians then developed their own chariot design. The best known and preserved textual evidence about Egyptian chariots in action was from the Battle of Kadesh during the reign of Ramses II, which was probably the largest single chariot battle in history. Kamose (1555–1550) has the distinction of being the first Egyptian ruler to use the chariot and cavalry units in battle, giving him victory. Accounts reveal that the Hyksos, who were lording over the northern territories in his reign, were startled when Egyptian chariots started to roll in the battlefield at Nefrusy, north of Cusae (near modern Asyut). The chariots were improved versions of what they used to terrorize the enemy.
Reverse	Animal (fish, bird, mammal etc.) Vulture Stylized state name (Arab Republic of Egypt) divides denomination in Arabic and English and abbreviation of state name (A.R.E.) below, the date in Arabic (Hijri) and Western (Georgian) divides by a vulture with open wings. Engraver's initials (ECC) below. In Ancient Egypt, the vulture hieroglyph was the uniliteral sign used for the glottal sound (/ɑː/). The bird was held sacred to Isis in ancient Egyptian religion. The use of the vulture as a symbol of royalty in Egyptian culture and their protection by Pharaonic law made the species common on the streets of Egypt and gave rise to the name "pharaoh's chicken". 50 ٥٠ جمهورية مصر العربية LE جـ A.R.E. 1415 1994 ECC ١٤١٥ ١٩٩٤
Edge	Reeded (milled)