Our latest release: the 2022 Tutankhamun Discovery 100th Anniversary Gold Sovereign Range, celebrates one of the richest and most important archaeological discoveries of all time. This special series features the priceless treasures of Tutankhamun’s tomb, surrounded by deep black enamel, to simulate it emerging from the dark.
These special features give the sovereign coins great appeal to those interested in the history of Egypt, and also to sovereign collectors the world over. In this blog, we will be dissecting the coin designs of this remarkable range…
The Quarter Sovereign
The first denomination in this range is the quarter sovereign. The most famous of all Tutankhamun’s treasures shines forth on the reverse of this denomination; the magnificent gold death mask of the young Pharaoh. This mask is one of the best-known artefacts in the world and a prominent symbol of Ancient Egypt. Encircling this mask is Howard Carter’s own words of discovery: “Can you see anything?”.
Now displayed at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, the death mask was used to allow the spirit of the deceased young Pharaoh to identify his body in the afterlife. The face of the mask symbolises the likeness of the boy Pharaoh, and as gold is associated with the Sun God ‘Ra’, ancient Egyptians believed that it would help Pharaohs in their afterlife journey.
The Half Sovereign
The next denomination: the half sovereign, displays a beautiful mirror case in the shape of an ‘ankh’ hieroglyph. Another famous and widely used symbol of Ancient Egypt, the ‘ankh’ is also known as the ‘key of life’ and is used in Egyptian hieroglyphic writing as a representation of the word for ‘life’, and/or ‘mirror’. Encircling this ankh is Howard Carter’s own words of discovery: “Yes, wonderful things”.
Ancient Egyptians believed that life was a powerful force that circulated worldwide, and that life was given by the Gods. Therefore, Gods and Pharaohs were often depicted in tombs giving ‘ankhs’ to humans to represent their power of reviving human souls in the afterlife. Many ankh-shaped mirrors, like the one discovered in Tutankhamun’s tomb, were created in ancient Egypt and used to reflect eternity.
The Sovereign
Finally, the sovereign features the gilded wooden statue of the boy-king Tutankhamun himself; the thin layer of gold, again used as an association with the Egyptian God ‘Ra’. This statue is a reminder of just how young Tutankhamun was when he died, but how significant his reign was in restoring Egypt’s Gods. Encircling this statue is Howard Carter’s own words of discovery: “Everywhere the glint of gold”.
The glossy finish of the black enamel is semi-transparent, enabling you to see the etched hieroglyphs in the background of each denomination. These are taken from an inscription on the rear of Tutankhamun’s mask, which is in turn from the Ancient Egyptian ‘Book of the Dead’. These are the world’s first solid 22 carat gold sovereigns with a rich black enamel finish, celebrating the discovery of Tutankhamun’s astounding treasures 100 years ago. Due to the recent sad passing of Queen Elizabeth II, these sovereigns will be the last to feature her portrait on the obverse.
You can secure this prestigious three-coin set HERE.