Wailing Wall Second Gold Investment Coin Israel 1 Oz 2011

Jerusalem of Gold Series - Wailing Wall

The Wall of Lamentations gold coin, issued by the Bank of Israel in a mintage of only 3,600 for the whole world, is the second 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 side of the coin depicts the Western Wall or Wailing Wall, which is the only monument to the Second Holy Temple in Jerusalem, which was destroyed in 70 AD by the Romans and is located on the site where the holiest of the saints from that temple stood. It is said that the divine presence never leaves this sacred place. Around 8 million people from all over the world visit the Wailing Wall every year, including kings and presidents. Above the wall is the inscription Jerusalem in English, Hebrew and Arabic. The author of the reverse side is Igal Gabay.

The inspiration for the "Glorious 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.

The Wailing Wall

The Wailing Wall, more properly known as the Western Wall, is a remnant of the western portion of the outer wall that, towards the end of the Second Temple period in Jerusalem, surrounded the Temple Mount. Today it is the holiest site of the Jews, but at the same time the Wailing Wall is also a place of mourning over the destruction of the Temple.

Many (not only Jewish) pilgrims from all over the world come to the Wall to say their prayers. This is often accompanied by a custom in which the prayer is written on a piece of paper and inserted between the stones that make up the Wall. Very often a Bar Mitzvah ceremony is also held at this site.

Megiddo

Megiddo was an ancient city and an important center of Galilee from 1800-600 BC. It was strategically located in the Jezre'el valley, with a massive fortress and stables that made the city a center for breeding horses for the army. Megiddo is also identified with a place called Armageddon (from Har Megiddo, literally "Mount Megiddo"), where the Book of Revelation says all the armies are to gather for the final battle at the end of the world.

Today the site is the important archaeological site of Tel Megiddo (Arabic: Tel el-Mutesillim), one of the most important and impressive in Israel. In 2005 the site was inscribed, along with two other tels mentioned in the Bible (Hazor and Be'er Sheva), as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nearby is Kibbutz Megiddo and a military prison where Palestinian Arabs accused of terrorism are held.

This product is part of the following product sets: