2025 Cook Islands 5 oz Silver the Rose City- Petra Antique Coin

Petra is a world-famous archaeological site in southern Jordan, known for its rock-cut architecture and historical significance. The name derives from the Greek word “Petros” for rock. The “rose-red city” – as it is often called because of the color of the sandstone – welcomes visitors with a magical silence and monumental beauty.

The city, which was home to up to 30,000 people at its peak, was founded around the 4th century BC by the Bedouin tribe of the Nabataeans and was an important trading center. The 40-meter-high treasury “Al-Khazneh” is particularly famous and is often considered the symbol of Petra.

Petra has been a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1985 and was voted one of the “New Seven Wonders of the World” in 2007. Visitors appreciate the impressive rock facades, narrow gorges, and mystical atmosphere. The site is hidden between sandstone mountains and is only accessible on foot.

What makes this coin so special? One eye-catching feature is certainly the open edge, which allows the special architectural form of the building, carved in stone 2,000 years ago, to be impressively depicted. On closer inspection, you can see how realistically the sandstone and its surface are represented by the antique finish.

This extraordinary coin has several layers. Thanks to smartminting® technology, buildings appear to rise out of the rock, just as they do in reality. It is essentially an ultra-high relief with a depth effect. The coloring is also unique, and the shade created by the sun’s rays has been reproduced extremely well. The artwork is rounded off by the reverse side, which shows a wavy carpet in Arabic style next to the national coat of arms.

The coin in 5 oz silver is an outstanding combination of minting art and history, limited to only 500 pieces worldwide.