Menorah Third Gold Investment Coin Israel 1 Oz 2012

Series "Jerusalem of Gold" - Menorah

The Menorah gold coin, issued by the Bank of Israel in a mintage of only 3,600 pieces for the whole world, is the third investment coin in the very popular "Jerusalem of Gold" series. The gold coins in this series are issued as investment coins weighing 1 troy ounce (31.1g) with a face value of 20 new shekels and a purity of 999.9/1000 pure gold.

The reverse of the coin depicts the seven-branched Knesset Menorah candlestick with the Knesset government building in the background. Above the Menorah is the inscription Jerusalem in English, Hebrew and Arabic, next to the candlestick is the denomination and at the bottom is the weight and purity of the coin. The reverse is by Ruben Nutels.

The inspiration for the "Famous Lion of Megiddo" motif on the obverse was an ancient seal from the 8th century BC found at Megiddo (Armageddon) in the Jordan Valley. The seal belonged to Shem, a servant of King Jeroboam II, who was king of Israel during the time of the prophet Amos. The lion is also a symbol of the tribes of Judah and Jerusalem. The same lion of Megiddo was depicted on the Israeli five lira note in 1958, the five lira coin in 1978 and the half shekel coin in 1980. Above the lion is the Israeli national emblem and below the lion is the inscription "ISRAEL" in English, Hebrew and Arabic. The obverse of all the coins in this series is by Meir Eshel.

Each gold investment coin comes in a deluxe gift box along with a certificate of authenticity.

Menorah

A menorah, sometimes also called a menorah, is a seven-branched candlestick and a traditional symbol of Judaism. The word Menorah itself is derived from the word ner, "lamp" or also "light".

The original golden menorah stood in the tent of meeting (ohel mo'ed) during Israel's wanderings in the wilderness. It was later reportedly moved to Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem. After the destruction of Solomon's Temple, all the sacred objects were lost. A new menorah made according to the instructions in the Torah was placed in the Second Temple. This menorah was probably made after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 AD. It was taken away by the Romans and displayed in a triumphal procession, as depicted in the Arch of Titus in Rome.

As an age-old religious and national symbol of the people of Israel and the Jewish nation, the menorah became, along with the olive branch, the national emblem of the modern State of Israel.

Knesset

The Knesset (Hebrew: literally "Assembly") is the legislative body in Israel, which is based in Jerusalem. It has a total of 120 members, who are elected by proportional representation for four-year terms. However, this can be shortened if the Knesset dismisses the Prime Minister or fails to give the government a vote of confidence. The Knesset was first convened on 14 February 1949, the day after the term of the existing parliamentary body, Asifat ha-Nivcharim, which had existed in Mandate Palestine since 1920, ended. In 2003, the Knesset began drafting an official constitution based on the Basic Laws. The Kadima party of former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni won the largest number of seats (28) in the Knesset after the 2009 elections. However, the second strongest party, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud, leads the coalition government, having won a right-wing majority in the elections.

This product is part of the following product sets: