Sea of Galilee Holyland Sites

Sea of Galilee
Sites in the Holy land Coin, 1990/5751

The Sea Galilee is one of the most beautiful spots in Israel. It stretches from the hills of Galilee in the west to the Golan Heights in the east. The Sea of Galilee is important in Christian tradition as the location of Capernaum and the Mount of Beatitudes. Its other names are: the Lake of Tiberias, after the city on its shore, and Kinneret because of its lyre (kinnor in Hebrew) shape, or, according to some, because the sound of its waves are as pleasing as the sound of the lyre. In the division of the land among the 12 Tribes of Israel, the Sea of Galilee lay in the territory of the Tribe of Naftali. Legend states that the waters of the Jordan River and of the Sea of Galilee do not mingle when they meet, a "wonder" of the Land of Israel

Obverse:
Face value in Hebrew and English, 1/2 New Sheqel on the Silver B.U. Coin, 1 New Sheqel on the Silver Proof Coin, 5 New Sheqalim on the Gold Coin. Left of the face value is the Israel State Emblem, in the right-hand border, "ISRAEL" is inscribed in Hebrew, Arabic and English with the mint year, 1990 / 5751.

Reverse:
An aerial view of the Sea of Galilee and archaeological finds from the vicinity - a coin of the city of Tiberias (2nd century C.E.); a portion of the zodiac mosaic from the synagogue at Hamat Tiberias (3rd-4th century C.E.); a stone relief from Capernaum (3rd-4th century C.E.); and a portion of a mosaic from Kursi. The words "Sea of Galilee" is inscribed in English and "Kinneret" in Hebrew.

Edge:
Silver B.U. Coin - 12 smooth sides. Silver Proof and Gold Coin - 12 milled sides.

Mint Marks:
B.U. Coin - Star of David.
Silver Proof and Gold Coins - Hebrew letter "Mem" beneath the face value.

Designer:
Obverse - Gideon Keich
Reverse - Ehud Shafrir

Plaster models: Tidhar Dagan.

Mint:
Silver B.U. and Proof coin - Stuttgart Mint
Gold Coin - Royal Canadian Mint