The Train to Jerusalem

"THE TRAIN TO JERUSALEM"
Tenth in the "Jerusalem of Gold" Bullion Coin Series
Legal Tender issued by the Bank of Israel

The "21st Century Train to Jerusalem" enables fast and convenient access to Israel's Capital City. In the near future,  the new high-speed train will enable direct access to Jerusalem's Old City, the Western Wall and Holy Sites, for millions of people in Israel and from all over the world.

Symbolically, the new train complements the historical first Tel Aviv-Jaffa to Jerusalem train inaugurated in 1892 by the Ottoman Authorities and taken out of use in 1998 due to its poor state.

The 2020 Israel Bullion Coin marks the important development in transport in Israel, which is well apparent in the Jerusalem landscape.

In September 2018, the first phase of the "21st Century Train" from Jerusalem to Ben Gurion Airport was inaugurated. By the end of 2019, the lines from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv were completed and it is now possible to travel the 56 kilometers from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv within about 30 minutes. Eventually, the route will be extended to the north of the country and within Jerusalem it will pass through a newly constructed tunnel to its new terminus at the Western Wall. Thus, Jerusalem will be joined to Tel Aviv and the national railway network.

In order to traverse the hilly terrain in the Jerusalem area, the new railway lines pass over bridges and through tunnels, with some record dimensions for Israel: the longest bridge with a length of 1.25 kilometers, the highest bridge with a height of 90 meters above the ground, the longest tunnel with a length of 11.6 kilometers and deepest railway station with a depth of 80 meters, which is also one of the deepest in the world. 

Obverse: The new high-speed train to Jerusalem. Behind it, to the right, the historical first railway station in Jerusalem and to the left, the new "Jerusalem – Yitzhak Navon" Station, between them, the windmill, a symbolic icon of Jerusalem located in close proximity to the historical station. In the upper area is the face value and mint year in Hebrew and English and Star of David mintmark. Around the border is the word “Jerusalem” in English, Hebrew and Arabic with the metal fineness and weight, “1 oz. fine gold .9999” in Hebrew and English.

Common Reverse of the Series: The Lion of Megiddo with its stylized curved tail, taken from an ancient 8th century BCE seal excavated in Megiddo (Armageddon) in the Jordan Valley, that belonged to Shema, servant of King Jeroboam II.  Above the lion is the Israel State Emblem and below it, “Israel” in English, Hebrew and Arabic. 

Face Design: Lilach Rubin
Common Reverse Design: Meir Eshel
Finish: Brilliant Uncirculated
Mint: Royal Dutch Mint