Enigmatic Queen Nefertiti adorns Scottsdales latest chunky Egyptian Relics silver bullion coin

One of our favourite silver bullion coins of 2016, an opinion we don’t think we’re unique in holding, Scottsdales chunky five-ounce Egyptian Relics coin came out of nowhere and proved very popular. Done in the Egyptian hieroglyphic style and depicting Tutankhamun, the most famous Pharoah in modern times, the coin was issued for the African country Chad and followed up by smaller and beautiful issue in gold.

We’ve been repeatedly asked when the next coin is out and finally we’re pleased to say that here it is. Following closely the same style as Tutankhamun, this second release goes back in time just a short way to the previous ruler of Ancient Egypt, Akhenaten, and more specifically his wife, the enigmatic Nefertiti. Widely considered to be one of the more powerful female rulers of this powerhouse ancient empire, Nefertiti is firmly rooted in the modern conciousness because of the discovery of a quite sublime bust of the ruler found just over a century ago by German archaelogist Ludwig Borchardt. Currently located in the Neues Museum in Berlin, it’s considered an icon of ancient beauty.

Scottsdale have certainly grown rapidly into the role of a major producer of quality numismatics like the Biblical Series, “Vikings: Gods, Kings, and Warriors”,  and the new Frazetta coins. Their bullion coin range has also expanded rapidly and Egyptian Relics is a prime example of the quality on offer. With a similar diameter to a one-ounce coin, the considerable extra weight has gone on thickness. Not only is the coin almost 12 mm thick, it has a hewn, chiselled finish. Combined with the design, it almost looks like a miniature artifact found in the desert.

The second of five in the Egyptian Relic series, this antiqued coin is another spot-on design. Fortunately, these are sold as bullion coins and thus are quite remarkable value compared to coins sold purely as numismatics. As an example, they work out at less than a third of the cost of the same mints Biblical Series on a per-ounce basis. The mintage is capped at 30,000 pieces and it should be available today from Scottsdale, JM Bullion, and APMEX amongst others. Great release from Scottsdale.

2017 EGYPTIAN RELICS NEFERTITI SILVER BULLION COIN

NEFERTITI

Nefertiti (c. 1370 – c. 1336 BCE) was the wife of the pharaoh Akhenaten of the 18th Dynasty of Egypt. Her name means, `the beautiful one has come’ and, because of the world-famous bust created by the sculptor Thutmose (discovered in 1912 CE), she is the most recognizable queen of ancient Egypt. She grew up in the royal palace at Thebes, probably the daughter of the vizier to Amenhotep III, a man named Ay, and was engaged to his son, Amenhotep IV, around the age of eleven.

There is evidence to suggest that she was an adherent of the cult of Aten, a sun deity, at an early age and that she may have influenced Amenhotep IV’s later decision to abandon the worship of the gods of Egypt in favor of a monotheism centered on Aten. After he changed his name to Akhenaten and assumed the throne of Egypt, Nefertiti ruled with him until his death after which she disappears from the historical record.

In her role as part of the divine couple, Nefertiti may also have been co-regent. Akhenaten joined his cartouche (his seal) with hers as a sign of equality and there is evidence that she took on the traditional duties of pharaoh while her husband busied himself with theological reformation and architectural renovations. Images which have survived depict her officiating at religious services, receiving foreign dignitaries, moderating diplomatic meetings, and even in the traditional royal role of the king smiting the enemies of Egypt.

None of these images would have been created if there were not some truth behind the stories they depict and so Nefertiti must have wielded more power than any woman in Egypt since the time of Hatshepsut (1479-1458 BCE). From the royal palace at Akhetaten, she sent forth the royal decrees and made the decisions which, according to tradition, were the responsibility of her husband. (Source: Ancient.eu by Joshua J. Mark)

SPECIFICATION

NAME 2017 EGYPTIAN RELICS
DENOMINATION 3,000 Francs CFA
COMPOSITION 0.999 silver
WEIGHT 155.5 grams
DIAMETER 41.00 mm
FINISH Antique
MODIFICATIONS Hewn-look edge
MINTAGE 30,000
BOX / COA Yes / Yes