Niue – Amber Route – Wroclaw – $1 – 2009 – Proof Silver Crown – Embedded Amber – COA – The Amber Road was an ancient trade route for the transfer of amber. Made up of waterways and ancient highways, the road led from Europe to Asia and back and from northern Africa to the Mediterranean Sea. An important raw material, amber was transported from the North Sea and Baltic Sea coasts overland by way of the Vistula and Dnieper rivers to Italy, Greece, the Black Sea, and Egypt. In Roman times, a main route ran south from the Baltic coast in Prussia through modern Czech Republic and Slovakia to the head of the Adriatic Sea. The Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun had Baltic amber among his burial goods and amber was sent from the North Sea to the temple of Apollo at Delphi as an offering. From the Black Sea, trade could continue to Asia along the Silk Road, another ancient trade route. The Old Prussian towns of Kaup and Truso on the Baltic were the starting points of the route to the south. In Scandinavia the amber road probably gave rise to the thriving Nordic Bronze Age culture, bringing influences from the Mediterranean Sea to the northernmost countries of Europe. This beautiful legal tender $1 coin was issued by authority of the government of Niue and was struck from 28.28 grams of .925 silver. The coin carries an embedded piece of amber and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity issued by the Mint.