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50 Pesos Temple of Artemis
| Issuer | Cuba |
|---|---|
| Year | 1997 |
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| Composition | Silver (.999) |
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| Reverse description | A detailed depiction of the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus occupies the central field, rendered in a classical engraving style showcasing the columned facade of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. A circular legend runs close to the coin's edge, with the series title MARAVILLAS DEL MUNDO ANTIGUO arcing along the upper portion and the temple's name TEMPLO DE ARTEMISA along the lower portion, each separated by decorative star ornaments. The mint date 1997 appears within the lower legend, accompanied by the mintmark. The reverse design is by engraver Rigoberto Peláez Alcázar. |
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| Reverse lettering | * MARAVILLAS DEL MUNDO ANTIGUO * 1997 * TEMPLO DE ARTEMISA * (Translation: Wonders of ancient world 1997 Temple of Artemis) |
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| Additional information |
Cuba's hard-currency commemorative program of the 1990s was driven almost entirely by the dollar shortage following the Soviet collapse — these large-format silver pieces were sold directly to foreign collectors and never intended for domestic circulation. The series targeting the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World gave the mint a reliable export product through the worst years of the Special Period.
The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was destroyed and rebuilt multiple times, the final structure razed by the Goths in 268 AD. What remained was systematically quarried for building material; the British Museum's surviving column drum fragments were excavated by John Turtle Wood in 1869 after six years of searching.