The Lord of Sipán — a Moche ruler whose tomb was discovered near Chiclayo in 1987 by archaeologist Walter Alva — represented one of the most significant pre-Columbian burial finds of the 20th century, often compared in importance to Tutankhamun's tomb. The Peruvian government moved quickly to restrict export of the artifacts after early looting had already reached international markets, and the subsequent excavation remains almost entirely housed within Peru.
This coin is part of the Banco Central's Cultura Moche commemorative series, issued in the years immediately following the tomb's international recognition.
The Lord of Sipán — a Moche ruler whose tomb was discovered near Chiclayo in 1987 by archaeologist Walter Alva — represented one of the most significant pre-Columbian burial finds of the 20th century, often compared in importance to Tutankhamun's tomb. The Peruvian government moved quickly to restrict export of the artifacts after early looting had already reached international markets, and the subsequent excavation remains almost entirely housed within Peru.
This coin is part of the Banco Central's Cultura Moche commemorative series, issued in the years immediately following the tomb's international recognition.