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500 Francs Colossus of Rhodes
| Issuer | National Bank of Rwanda |
|---|---|
| Year | 2013 |
| Type | Non-circulating coin |
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| Obverse description | The obverse features the national coat of arms of Rwanda at centre, depicting a shield flanked by traditional decorative elements, with a sun above and a knotted ribbon below bearing the national motto. The legend BANKI NKURU Y'U RWANDA arcs across the upper field, while REPUBLIKA Y'U RWANDA appears on a scroll around the arms. The fineness and weight designations AG 999 and 1/2 oz are inscribed to the left field, with the date 2013 to the right. The denomination AMAFARANGA 500 MAGANA ATANU is boldly inscribed along the lower portion of the field. |
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| Reverse description | The reverse displays a bimetallic design with a green-coloured niobium centre bearing a relief depiction of the Colossus of Rhodes, the legendary giant bronze statue shown striding with arms outstretched, rendered in an antique artistic style evoking ancient sculptural tradition. The figure stands upon a stylised base, occupying the full extent of the niobium insert. The surrounding silver ring carries the inscription SEVEN WONDERS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD arcing across the upper field, and COLOSSUS OF RHODES along the lower arc, both in raised Latin lettering. |
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| Additional information |
The Colossus of Rhodes collapsed in 226 BC following an earthquake, and Ptolemy III of Egypt reportedly offered to fund its reconstruction — an offer the Rhodians declined after an oracle warned against it. The statue lay in ruins for nearly nine centuries before Arab forces sold the bronze for scrap around 654 AD. Rwanda's connection to this subject is purely commercial: the National Bank issued this as part of a wider series of Seven Wonders coins aimed squarely at the collector market, with the colored niobium centre doing the visual work that the subject matter alone couldn't sustain.