Syria: Scenic Landmarks Series, 1996/2003

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In 1996 Syria issued a new design series, depicting local landmarks.

The lowest denomination coin was the 1 pound, shown above.

It was the only coin of the set that did not feature a building or landmark.

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Syria, 2 pounds, 1996, depicting the Roman amphitheatre at Bosra.



From Wikipedia:

The Roman Theatre at Bosra is an ancient Roman theatre in Bosra, Syria. It was built in the second quarter of the 2nd century CE. It is the largest, most complete and best preserved theatre of all the Roman theatres in the Middle East, and was one of the largest theatres ever constructed in the Roman world.

The theatre was built early in the 2nd century AD after Bosra became the capital of the new Roman province of Arabia. The theatre was built outside the city walls since there was no suitable place for it inside. Nonetheless, it was integrated into the city's street network by a colonnaded street. In the Middle Ages a Muslim fortress was built around the theatre, which explains the excellent state of preservation of the theatre. However, the colonnaded street, along with other structures around the theatre, were destroyed when the fortress was built. The theatre is unusual in that it was not constructed using a natural slope of a hill for support but on completely level ground. The theatre was built facing north.

By the start of the 20th century most of the interior had become filled with sand, which acted as a natural preservative. The theatre was restored to its former glory between 1947 and 1970. The main restoration work was directed at the stage area and the upper rows of seats. Some of that work was done in pink Egyptian granite. The theatre now serves as the main venue for the Bosra Festival, a national music festival.

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Syria, 5 pounds, 1996, featuring the Citadel of Aleppo.



In 2003 an updated version of the coin was issued.

The new version includes a latent image.

It is also now beaded and the inner design is slightly smaller than before.



From Wikipedia:

The Citadel of Aleppo is a large medieval fortified palace in the centre of the old city of Aleppo, northern Syria. It is considered to be one of the oldest and largest castles in the world. Usage of the Citadel hill dates back at least to the middle of the 3rd millennium BC. Subsequently occupied by many civilizations including the Greeks, Byzantines, Ayyubids and Mamluks, the majority of the construction as it stands today is thought to originate from the Ayyubid period. An extensive conservation work has taken place in the 2000s by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture in collaboration with Aleppo Archeological Society. Dominating the city, the Citadel is part of the Ancient City of Aleppo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986.

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Syria, 10 pounds, 1996, featuring the ruins of Palmyra.



In 2003 an updated version of the coin was issued. The new version was now beaded and also included a latent image.



From Wikipedia:

Palmyra was an ancient Arabic city in central Syria. In antiquity, it was an important city located in an oasis 215 km (134 mi) northeast of Damascus and 180 km (110 mi) southwest of the Euphrates at Deir ez-Zor. It had long been a vital caravan stop for travellers crossing the Syrian desert and was known as the Bride of the Desert. The earliest documented reference to the city by its Semitic name Tadmor, Tadmur or Tudmur (which means "the town that repels" in Amorite and "the indomitable town" in Aramaic) is recorded in Babylonian tablets found in Mari.

Though the ancient site fell into disuse after the 16th century, it is still known as Tadmor in Arabic. There is a newer town of the same name next to the ruins. The Palmyrenes constructed a series of large-scale monuments containing funerary art such as limestone slabs with human busts representing the deceased.

According to reports, parts of Palmyra and its ruins have been destroyed by ISIS/ISIL, one of the antagonist groups in the Syrian civil war.

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The bimetallic Syrian 25 pounds coin of 1996 depicted the Central Bank of Syria.



An updated version of the coin, incorporating a latent image, was issued in 2003.



The Central Bank of Syria.

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A closer look at the reverse of the bimetallic 25 pounds coin of 1996.




The obverse of the 25 pounds coin.

[bkveder]

Does anyone know where these coins were minted? I can't find this info anywhere, for love or money (no pun intended)...

[<k>]

The 1424/2003 coins were minted at the Royal Mint.

As for the 1416/1996 coins, The German world catalogue gives "[a]" for the mint. That abbrevation is shared by several, but one is the Paris Mint, which is the best bet, given French-Syrian links (France was the former imperial power). Perhaps Gerhard (the catalogue publisher and a forum member) could clear this one up?

[Afrasi]

Looking into the catalogue it is Paris. In the introduction are all mint sigla listed.

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Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Damascus.



Despite its troubles, Syria issued a new coin in 2018.

The 50 pounds coin depicted the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Damascus.