Issued to commemorate Pope Paul VI's visit to Uganda in July 1969 — the first papal visit to Africa in modern history. Paul VI traveled to Kampala to canonize the twenty-two Ugandan Martyrs, Catholics executed on the orders of Kabaka Mwanga II between 1885 and 1887. The political timing was acute: Uganda was just seven years into independence, and Idi Amin was months away from his 1971 coup.
At 138 grams of .900 gold, this is one of the heaviest commemorative coins struck by any African issuer in the entire decade.
Issued to commemorate Pope Paul VI's visit to Uganda in July 1969 — the first papal visit to Africa in modern history. Paul VI traveled to Kampala to canonize the twenty-two Ugandan Martyrs, Catholics executed on the orders of Kabaka Mwanga II between 1885 and 1887. The political timing was acute: Uganda was just seven years into independence, and Idi Amin was months away from his 1971 coup.
At 138 grams of .900 gold, this is one of the heaviest commemorative coins struck by any African issuer in the entire decade.