Gold half-ounce coin History of Gold - Mesopotamian artists proof

The history of gold is the history of mankind. For thousands of years, the “yellow metal“ has enabled people to build and destroy empires and pursue their dreams. The Mesopotamian artists, to whom the second gold coin in the Czech Mint's thematic series is dedicated, knew this well.

Ancient Mesopotamia was renowned as the cradle of civilisation. It abounded in harvests and gave the world writing and laws, but one thing was missing. Gold. There were no deposits of the yellow metal in the land between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. This made its inhabitants long for it all the more. The ethereally beautiful gold, which they considered a divine substance, was imported from Egypt and Asia Minor. They knew that it did not decay, so they hoarded it in temples and tombs as a religious symbol of eternity and immortality. However, the social elite, who wanted to show off their wealth and power, did not want to wait until they passed away. They wanted to enjoy gold and divine favour right now. In addition to ritual objects, Mesopotamian goldsmiths also created breathtaking jewellery. Demand was so high that they adopted the principles of mass production, but they did not neglect their craftsmanship. They were able to chisel, solder and hammer gold into a foil that was only a thousandth of a millimetre thick. Even the priests who worshipped gold did not let it lie fallow. They provided loans, and that was when the history of banking began. However, gold did not become a means of payment. This role belonged to silver, and gold thus retained its privileged position. Unfortunately, many monuments have not survived. Over the course of five millennia, Mesopotamia was swept by hordes of conquerors, many of whom were after gold...

Medal designer Mgr.Art Miroslav Hric, ArtD., dedicated the reverse side of the coin to a rich Mesopotamian collage. It is dominated by a bull's head, which adorned a lyre and represented the god Utua. Other landmarks depicted include a mythological brooch and a ritual statue. Mesopotamian soldiers are depicted in the background. The obverse, which is common to the entire coin series, features golden artefacts from various ancient civilisations – the Greeks, Aztecs, Sumerians and Egyptians. As the coins of the Czech Mint are issued with a foreign licence from the island of Niue, they also bear its national emblem, the nominal value of 25 DOLLARS (NZD) and the year of issue 2025.

The issue limit is only 100 pieces, each of which is numbered on the edge.