Silver Coin 3 Oz Bust of Nefertiti 2023 Antique Standard

Nefertiti Busta

The exclusive silver coin issued by the State of Djibouti for 2023 weighing 3 Oz in the purest 99.9% silver with Antique Standard finish and minted with special 3D technology, commemorates one of the most famous archaeological finds - the Bust of Nefertiti.

On the reverse side of the coin, the frontal view of the bust of the ancient Egyptian Queen Nefertiti is transferred by precise 3D embossing. The faithful replica in patinated silver preserves the immortal ideal of female beauty that the original in coloured limestone became after its discovery in Amarna, Egypt. It depicts the likeness of the great royal consort of Pharaoh Akhenaten with her high crown. The symmetrical face with delicate features is complemented by an elegant slender neck. Below the queen's left ear is the name Nefertiti, written in hieroglyphics, which can be translated as 'The Beautiful One Has Come'. The background is a relief of the ancient Egyptian symbols of creation, rebirth and regeneration - a scarab and a lotus flower.
Queen Nefertiti (1370 - 1330 BC) was the principal wife of Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten), the 18th Dynasty pharaoh. She is said to have been originally a Mitanni princess married to Taduchepa in the tradition of diplomatic unions. She also took the new name Nefertiti by marriage. The newly renamed Pharaoh Akhenaten, with Neferneferuaton Nefertiti at his side, are known for an unprecedented religious reform that banned all diverse deities and designated the solar disc Aten as the sole god. Some historians believe that Nefertiti subsequently ruled alone after her husband's death, before his son Tutankhamun ascended the throne. She died at the age of 40 and her death is still a mystery.
The event leading to the widespread awareness of Nefertiti's existence was the archaeological discovery at Tell el-Amarna on 6 December 1912. German archaeologists discovered a coloured bust in one of the houses in the lost city and seat of Akhenaten's royal court. The sculpture was notable for its depiction of the queen's extraordinarily beautiful face. The head of the scientific team, Ludwig Borchardt, exported the bust from Egypt in 1913. The first exhibition in Berlin in 1924 started a never-ending dispute with Egypt over its ownership. Germany argued for permission to export, but Egypt countered that it had been deceived. The Egyptian Museum in Berlin will not allow its priceless archaeological jewel, insured for 300 million euros, to be loaned to Egypt.

The obverse of the coin consists of a collage of several images from ancient Egypt. It is dominated by a side view of the bust of Nefertiti from the right profile. In the background is part of a domestic altar stele, showing the queen seated on a stool with her daughter on her lap under the rays of the sun god Aten. The name of the coin "THE NEFERTITI BUST" and the year of issue 2023" are incorporated into the upper part of the coin. A small circle at the bottom of the coin bears the national emblem of the Republic of Djibouti with the inscription 'REPUBLIQUE DE DJIBOUTI', the face value '200 FRANCS' and the fineness and weight.

The coin comes in a stylish box with thematic printing. It includes a certificate of authenticity in a limited edition of only 1,999 pieces for the whole world!