Knights of the Past 2023, 1 oz Silver Coin

The series of silver coins refers to the over 1000-year-old Order of Malta.

The Order of Malta is a chivalric and religious order that was founded in the 11th century in the Holy Land. The order was originally known as the Order of the Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem, and its main purpose was to provide medical care and protection to pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land. After the Christians lost the Holy Land in the 13th century, the order moved its headquarters to various locations, including Rhodes and Malta. In the 16th century, the order became known as the Order of Malta, after relocating to Malta. The order played an important role in the defense of Malta against the Ottoman attack in 1565, known as the Great Siege of Malta. Today, the Order of Malta is one of the oldest and most respected knightly orders in the world. It is a charitable and humanitarian organization, dedicated to helping those in need around the world. It also has observer status with the United Nations.

The reverse of the silver cylinder shows us the figure of a knight on horseback. He is armored with full plate armor covered with numerous ornaments. The horse on which he sits, in turn, has a headpiece superimposed, a kind of helmet designed for horses. In the background we can see the walls of the fortress of Saint Angelo in which the Order's cavaliers repulsed an attack by the Ottoman Empire. The obverse, as in earlier coins in the series, presents the emblem of the Order of Malta placed on a shield held by a knight.