Gold Coin 100 g Seven Wonders of the World - Gardens of Babylon 2024

Seven Wonders of the World - Gardens of Babylon

This unique gold coin, issued by the State of Solomon Islands in 2024, is part of the Seven Wonders of the World series and has a purity of 99.9% gold and a weight of 100 g. The Gardens of Babylon - known here as the Hanging Gardens of Semiramis - were chosen as the opening coin of the collection.

The reverse of the coin depicts a view of the legendary gardens of the royal palace of Babylon. The illusion of depth of the image is created by minting in four layers. The resulting perspective thus invites the viewer to visit the terraced gardens, planted with lush greenery. The entrance with the water channel is guarded by a pair of statues of shedu, protective demons with the body of a bull and the head of a bearded man. The motif is complemented by the name "GARDENS OF BABYLON" at the top, the year of issue "2024" at the bottom and the "7 WONDERS" series logo to the right of it.
The Hanging Gardens of Semiramidina, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, is a fascinating work of history and myth. The imposing gardens are said to have been located in Babylon and, according to legend, were built by King Nebuchadnezzar II for his wife Semiramis. She missed the diverse greenery growing in the mountains of her homeland. The architects built the terraced gardens on an artificial hilltop to create an oasis. The terraces were supported by stone arches and planted with a variety of plants, shrubs and trees. The central feature was the water channels that ran along each terrace, providing moisture for the plants and a refreshing climate for the queen. Floral mosaics composed colorful patterns and defined the unique character of each tier. Staircases and walkways carved into the stone provided access to the various levels of the gardens and enhanced the impression of apparent airiness amidst the dense development of the Babylonian city.
Unfortunately, no remains of the Hanging Gardens of Queen Semiramis have been found to this day. Reports of them are debated, and many historians and archaeologists consider these gardens to be a legend, mistaken for other buildings.
Evidence of the hanging gardens comes mainly from ancient writers such as Strabo and Philo of Byzantium, who, however, did not write until several centuries after the gardens' possible creation. Babylon was the site of some amazing structures, such as the Ishtar Gate or the Zikkurat Esagila, but the hanging gardens themselves have no concrete archaeological evidence.

The obverse depicts a traditional portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Ian-Rank Broadley, surrounded by the inscriptions "ELIZABETH II", "SOLOMON ISLANDS", details of the weight and purity of the metal and the face value.

The coin comes in its original collector's box along with a numbered certificate of authenticity, in an extremely limited edition of only 47 pieces for the entire world!

This product is part of the following product sets: