AUB Lee Observatory - 10 LBP (Standard)

AUB Announcement - Special Bank of Lebanon Silver Coins Commemorate AUB’s 150th Anniversary

Title: AUB Lee Observatory - 10 LBP (Standard)
Denomination: 10 LBP
Date: 2016
TID: C12.6
Material: Silver 999; Silver
Manufacture: Proof Strike
Weight (g): 155.5
Diameter (mm): 38.41
Description: This is the world first coin in the shape of a hemisphere.
1874 – The Lee Observatory was among the first buildings to be erected on the campus of the Syrian Protestant College (SPC). It is named after Henry Lee, a British merchant from Manchester, who gave 150 Pounds Sterling for the building. The construction site was chosen by Dr. Cornelius Van Dyck, a physician, a teacher of astronomy at the College, and a prodigious translator and author of teaching texts in Arabic. It was first named the Lee AstroPhysical Observatory which telegraphed astronomical and meteorological observations daily during Ottoman rule to the Imperial Observatories in Constantinople and hence to Vienna. In 1891, Robert H. West, Van Dyck’s successor, decided to have it rebuilt and designed the new Observatory. The building as it stands today was completed in 1894. One of the many scientific services it rendered was for Dar-al Fatwa, which had come to depend on AUB's telescope to record the birth of the moon and the start of the holy month of Ramadan. Like other AUB buildings of its era, the Observatory bears witness to AUB’s leadership in scientific endeavors and civic service. (Source: Official AUB 150th Anniversary Commemorative Coins website); Remark: Although the quantity mentioned for mintage on the COA is "Up to 2000", yet it seems that the actual minted quantity is only 1000 as mentioned in a brochure produced by Mint of Poland about these medals and distributed during the Beirut Money Fair 2016.; COA Number: 333; Official AUB 150th Anniversary Commemorative Coins website; BDL Public Announcement; AUB Standard Set COA PDF
Obverse: AUB Lee Observatory - Standard, Reverse
Reverse: AUB Lee Observatory - Standard, Obverse
Mintage: 1000
TRS Tier (Rarity Level): TRS C-; TRS C=1000
Peculiarity: The world first coin in the shape of a hemisphere.
Bears Date: 2016
Iconography: AUB 150 Years Logo
Shape: Hemisphere
Authority: Republic of Lebanon
Stated Authority: BANQUE DU LIBAN
Mint: Polish Mint
Numismatic Group: Commemorative Coins
Is Part Of: 150th Anniv of AUB - Standard Series
Collection: LIRAT.ME Reference Collection
Relation: AUB Lee Observatory - 25 LBP (Limited); American University of Beirut; AUB - VIAF; AUB - Wikipedia; AUB Announcement - Special Bank of Lebanon Silver Coins Commemorate AUB’s 150th Anniversary
References: Official AUB 150th Anniversary Commemorative Coins website; BDL Public Announcement
Provenance: Abdallah Absi; The American University of Beirut - AUB; BANQUE DU LIBAN
License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0; Terms of use
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