Rothschild

Rothschild 5742-1982
Israel's 34th Anniversary of Independence Coin

Historians of the Jewish settlement in Palestine have awarded Baron Edmond (Abraham Benjamin) de Rothschild titles of the "famous contributor" and "Father of the Settlements". His involvement in the rebuilding of Palestine began in 1882. Since then he continued to donate some of his wealth to the establishment of agricultural settlements in Palestine. ("I could have chosen cheaper peasants, but I chose the Jewish peasants.")
He took the settlement effort under his wing, supported those settlements about to collapse and established new ones. In 1924 he set up "PICA" which, under the supervision of his son, James Rothschild, continued to manage agricultural settlements and the economic enterprises he had formed and to assist in the establishment of new settlements.

Obverse: In the center "Baron Edmond de Rothschild" in Hebrew and English and the dates, "5605-5695; 1845-1934". Above, the Israel State emblem, around the border, the inscription "Centenary of his first settlement activities in Eretz Israel" in Hebrew and in English. The word "Israel" in Hebrew, Arabic and English, beside the mint year "1982" and the corresponding Hebrew year 5742 in Hebrew characters. Face value on the gold coin: "10 Sheqalim" in Hebrew, on the silver, "2 Sheqalim".

Reverse: Portrait of Edmond de Rothschild and the words "Father of the Settlements" in Hebrew.

Edge: "34th Year of the State of Israel", in Hebrew, towards the obverse or reverse of the B.U. coin and towards the reverse of the proof coins., Gold Coin - milled

Mint Marks: On the Silver B.U. coin, a Star of David on the obverse, on the Silver Proof and Gold coins, the Hebrew letter "Mem" on the obverse, beneath the legend in the center.

Designer: Obverse - Zvi Narkiss., Reverse - Zoaf Lilia, David and Oswald Adler.

Mint: Silver B.U. - Monnaie de Paris, Silver Proof - Munich Mint, Germany, Gold - Royal Canadian Mint, Ottawa.