فاروق
The hobby of kings and presidents
What are the hobbies of kings and presidents? And why are they called that? Most of us know that King Farouk was one of the world's greatest stamp collectors, but perhaps not all of us know that US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was also a huge fan. This may have been one of the reasons for the friendship that developed between the two men, unlike the relationship that existed between…
November 24, 2023King Farouk's World Coin Collection
What would be the value of King Farouk's world currency collection in our time? An American magazine estimated the value of his collection of American coins, part of his extensive world currency collection, at 2.87 billion Egyptian pounds (US$160 million)! As is well known, the king was an avid collector…
June 2, 2022The Story of Nefertiti's Head – Chapter Four
Let us continue the story of the Nefertiti bust: a love triangle between Hitler, Nefertiti, and King Fuad. Adolf Hitler gazed at his comrade-in-arms, Hermann Göring, thinking to himself, "He will live like a pig and die like a pig, knowing nothing about art…" Göring replied, "Adolf, just listen to my point of view… The Egyptians have agreed in principle to a friendship treaty with Germany only…"
June 1, 2022The Story of Nefertiti's Head – Chapter Three
What is the connection between Nefertiti's head and Hitler's marshal's baton? Spring 1945, Prague, Czech Republic. Roy couldn't believe his eyes for a moment, remaining speechless, mouth agape as he gazed at the ceiling and walls of the luxurious office. The retired general appeared cooperative and perfectly calm outside, while his comrades, Mitcham and Herb, ransacked the house, searching for any loot or mementos…
June 1, 2022The Story of Nefertiti's Head – Chapter Two
When was the head of Nefertiti discovered? The head of Queen Nefertiti, December 6, 1912. Good morning, Ludwig! And you, my dear Ernest, the weather is truly beautiful today... a welcome change for the better—the weather in this Minya province is usually anything but welcoming, but that's the fate of explorers, my friend! I sent Hamad and the other men to retrieve the remaining statues from Thutmose's workshop today...
June 1, 2022Hobby cost
One of the biggest challenges facing hobbyists is the cost of the hobby itself! How do we overcome this cost? Let me ask you, my friend, how many times have you seen a valuable item and wished you owned it, but couldn't because of its high price? I personally have faced this situation many times! But there is a partial solution: knowledge… knowledge! Knowledge about the item in front of you is the fundamental difference…
May 30, 2022Model of the Aswan Dam, 1939
The Aswan Reservoir, also known as the Aswan Dam, is distinct from the High Dam. Construction began in the city of Aswan in southern Egypt between 1899 and 1906. Its foundation stone was laid by Khedive Abbas Hilmi II, and it was inaugurated during his reign. The Aswan Reservoir is located 946 kilometers from the Delta Barrages, also known as the Delta Barrages. The old Aswan Dam was the first dam of its size and the largest dam constructed in the world at that time. Then…
May 28, 2022Royal Christmas commemorative coins
What is the truth behind the commemorative coins issued on King Farouk's birthday? It is well known to many researchers and enthusiasts that the fourth issue of the five-pound Egyptian note was the first Egyptian banknote to feature the image of the ruler of that denomination. However, in February 1947, the Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram published an article titled "Banknotes…"
May 17, 2022Egyptian currency of 1938 and the state of confusion
What Egyptian currencies were not issued in 1938, and why was there such political and economic turmoil during this period? Cairo – February 1937, where our story begins. At that time, the Ministry of Finance announced the minting of Egyptian currency in the name of His Majesty King Farouk I, and the news was conveyed to the Royal Court in preparation for authorizing the representative of the Mint in Birmingham to proceed with the minting…
April 9, 2022Two piasters, 1942... They deceived you when they said
They deceived you by saying that Egyptian royal coins were minted outside Egypt before the revolution and that minting only began after the establishment of the Mint in 1953… That's the rumor, but in reality, few of us know that some Egyptian royal coins were minted on Egyptian soil, specifically the two piastres of King Farouk issued in 1942.
October 30, 2020Which is more important? The accuracy of the description or the generosity of the generous?
Which is more important? The accuracy of the description or the generosity of the hosts? I believe this question crossed the mind of His Majesty King Farouk in late 1945. At that time, preparations were in full swing to receive King Abdulaziz Al Saud in the Kingdom of Egypt, and King Farouk had decided to honor his guest and commemorate the royal visit on Egyptian postage stamps, ordering that the stamps be issued…
June 29, 20206 degrees of distancing
There's a game played by Westerners called "6 Degrees of Separation," which is based on the idea that you can find a relationship between any two people on Earth through 6 degrees or less (meaning, for example, that person number 1 met person number 2, who married person number 3, who worked for person number 4, and so on) – and in this way…
June 11, 2020Royal Tourism Cup
On my last visit to the Royal Jewelry Museum in Alexandria last year, I saw many beautiful and very valuable pieces, but I was deeply disappointed that the information panels didn't quench my usual thirst for knowledge. Today, by chance, I came across important information about one of these pieces: the "Royal Tourism Cup." The manufacture of this cup was completed…
March 26, 2020Royal Jewelry Museum
On my last visit to the Royal Jewelry Museum in Alexandria last year, I saw many beautiful and very valuable pieces, but I was deeply disappointed that the information panels didn't quench my usual thirst for knowledge. Today, by chance, I came across important information about one of these pieces: the "Royal Tourism Cup." The manufacture of this cup was completed…
March 18, 2020The Story of Nefertiti's Head – Chapter One
Introduction: We often think that humans are the heroes of every story, whether good or evil. But sometimes, inanimate objects have their own stories, and if they could speak, we would hear the strangest and most amazing tales! Today, we present the story of "Two Pieces" and recount significant events that historically linked Egypt and Germany, in which these two pieces played a leading role… Chapter One: General Von contemplated…
February 10, 2020A reading of the Royal Coin Collection file
A look at the Royal Coin Collection – Some of the withdrawn items: Items 2639 and 2643 (Crown and rare medal box) are among the interesting items withdrawn. Item 2643 is a “crown” skillfully crafted from Egyptian 5-millime coins from the reign of Sultan Hussein Kamel. The Egyptian flag fabric is used as a lining for the crown. Interestingly, this item…
April 2, 2019One of the tragedies of the 1954 auction
On the ninth day of the auction, items 2654 through 2738—84 items in total—were withdrawn. Upon reviewing the catalog, the details of the tragedy become clearer. Most of the withdrawn items represent an entire chapter in the book, specifically the chapter on "Egyptian Gold Commemorative Medals." As usual, "Uncle Farid" did not do a good job; he merely mentioned the occasion of each medal's issuance, along with a brief description and the year of issue…
March 8, 2019The art of currency processing
The art of coin restoration (which, incidentally, is far removed from coin cleaning) shows that the coin shown in the photos and video still has a rating of 58. However, the coin's luster has been restored to its original shine, which had been hidden under layers of impurities. It should be clarified that if the luster or shine had been lost previously, no amount of restoration will bring it back.
October 21, 2017One of the most remarkable items in King Farouk's auction
One of the strangest items in King Farouk's coin auction was lot number 2796, described as follows: Germany, a collection of banknotes (paper and silk), emergency issues, stacked in 3 large albums: approximately 11,000 pieces “approximately”!! This means that the auctioneers not only failed to describe the item properly, but they also didn't specify the number of pieces in the lot at all… Guess what…
October 16, 2016King Farouk coin auction
In 1954, a rare auction featured a distinguished collection of King Farouk's coins in an elegant leather case. This unique collection included various sets of coins representing an entire era in the history of the Kingdom of Egypt. The auction box contained a diverse set consisting of: 13 gold coins, 17 silver coins, 10 cupronickel coins…
October 6, 2016