Item number: A2642

Year: AD 1960 (AH 1379)

Material: Gold

Size: 36.0 x 36.0 mm

Weight: 42.5 g

Manufactured by: Egyptian Mint Authority, Cairo

Provenance: Fuchin Coin 2025

This is a commemorative 5-pound gold coin issued in AH 1379 (AD 1960) by Egypt—then part of the United Arab Republic in union with Syria—to celebrate the groundbreaking of the major hydraulic project, the Aswan High Dam.

The obverse of the coin depicts a conceptualised view of the Aswan High Dam upon its completion, situated across the Nile River. At the top of the dam, a rising sun emerges from the horizon, symbolising a new era of progress, while a cement trowel—representing the commencement of construction—serves as a central decorative motif. Flanking both sides of the dam are symmetrical emblems of gears, electricity, cotton, and wheat, signifying the dam’s vital role in Egypt’s development in energy, industry, and agriculture. At the bottom of the design, the Arabic inscription rendered in Kufic script reads: “تذكار تنفيذ السد العالى بأسوان”, which translates to “Commemoration of the Construction of the Aswan High Dam.”

The reverse of the coin features the country name “جمهورية مصر” (Republic of Egypt) inscribed in circular Arabic script at the upper edge. In the centre, two lines of inscriptions indicate the denomination “خمسة جنيهات” (Five Pounds). The lower edge includes the issuance year “١٩٦٠” (1960) and the corresponding Coptic calendar year “١٣٧٩” (1379). The bottom edge is adorned with a decorative crown composed of the wings of an eagle, a cobra, and the sun symbol representing the god Amun.

The Aswan High Dam is in southern Egypt on the upper reaches of the Nile River, which is the country’s most vital waterway. The Nile Delta in the north is often regarded as one of the cradles of human civilisation. In AD 1898, the British, who then controlled Egypt, constructed the first dam at Aswan. However, due to poor design, its effectiveness was limited. In AD 1952, Egypt initiated plans for a new dam. During the planning phase, however, Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser chose to procure weapons from the Soviet Union, prompting the United States to withdraw its initial offer of financial assistance. Nonetheless, with the backing of Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, the USSR agreed to cover approximately one-third of the construction costs and dispatched engineers and machinery to support the project.

In AD 1960, construction of the Aswan High Dam commenced. During the building process, several important archaeological sites were threatened by the rising waters of the dam’s reservoir. With the assistance of the United Nations, the Egyptian government undertook a massive relocation effort, most notably moving the Abu Simbel temples approximately 200 metres uphill from their original location. Completed in AD 1970, the dam provided Egypt with substantial hydroelectric power, enabling electricity exports to neighbouring countries. It also played a crucial role in controlling the annual flooding and drought cycles of the Nile River. However, by trapping nutrient-rich silt upstream, the dam contributed to soil degradation and erosion in the Nile Delta, Egypt’s most densely populated and agriculturally vital region.

物件編號: A2642

年代: 公元 1960 年 (回曆 1379 年)

材質: 黃金

尺寸: 36.0 x 36.0 mm

重量: 42.5 g

製造地: 埃及國營鑄幣廠，開羅

來源: 福君錢幣 2025

這是一枚回曆1379年 (公元1960年)，彼時和敘利亞共同組成「阿拉伯聯合共和國」的埃及為慶祝重大水利工程亞斯文大壩動土開工，所發行之面額5鎊的紀念金幣。

錢幣正面是設想竣工之後，坐落於尼羅河上的亞斯文大壩場景。大壩的頂端是緩緩從水平面上升起的朝陽，並且還以一把象徵開工的水泥刮刀作為裝飾。大壩左右兩側以對稱的齒輪、電力、棉花和麥穗等圖騰作為裝飾，寓意大壩對於埃及的電力、工業和農業發展的重要性。圖像底部則以阿拉伯書法的庫法體鐫刻「تذكار تنفيذ السد العالى بأسوان」意思是「紀念亞斯文大壩開工」。

錢幣背面的上緣以環型阿拉伯文標示國名「جمهورية مصر」(埃及共和國)，中間的兩行銘文則是面額「خمسة جنيهات」(5鎊)，下緣則是發行的公元年份「١٩٦٠」(1960) 和對應的回曆紀年「١٣٧٩」(1379)。錢幣的下緣則有兀鷲翅膀、眼鏡蛇和象徵阿蒙神的太陽所組成的王冠作為裝飾。

亞斯文大壩坐落於埃及南部的尼羅河上游，尼羅河是埃及最為重要的河流，其下游的三角洲更是人類文明的搖籃。公元1898年，控制埃及的英國人先在亞斯文興建水壩，然而設計不佳使得水壩的成效有限。公元1952年。埃及著手進行新的設計規劃，然而由於規劃期間，埃及領導人納瑟決定向蘇聯採購武器，使得美國停止原先提供埃及的援助。不過在時任蘇聯領導人赫魯雪夫支持下，蘇聯承擔大約三分之一的經費並且派出工程師和機械協助建設。

公元1960年，亞斯文大壩開工，大壩在興建期間由於蓄水區有許多珍貴的古蹟，埃及政府在聯合國協助下將阿布辛貝神殿從原址向上搬遷200公尺左右的高度。公元1970年大壩竣工之後，替埃及提供大量的電力能外銷給鄰國，並且解決埃及境內的尼羅河氾濫和乾旱等問題。然而大壩阻擋上游豐沛的泥土也使得埃及人口最為稠密的下游三角洲地區面臨水土流失的問題。