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* 9 July1850 Martyrdom of the Bab *

The Herald of the Baha'i Faith, begun with His Declaration in 1844, was martyred in the public square of Tabriz, with 10,000 eye witnesses to watch a regiment of 750 soldiers, arrayed in three rows of 250 rifles each (sitting, kneeling, standing), shoot and kill the Bab and at the same time, also tied with rope and suspended in front of a wall next to Him, a believer named Anis -- we have a $20 Double Eagle to represent the Bab in this collection, and now this $10 Eagle coin is for Anis.

Although the entire regiment of 750 soldiers fired their rifles for the execution, and their bodies were smashed together by the large, round bullets, not one bullet hit either of their faces.

When the rifles had quieted, a violent sandstorm arose and darkened the sky, blotting out the midday sun, scattering the executioners as well as the 10,000 witnesses gathered around the square.

“O wayward generation!” were the last words of the Báb to the gazing multitude, as the regiment prepared to fire its volley, “Had you believed in Me every one of you would have followed the example of this youth, who stood in rank above most of you, and would have willingly sacrificed himself in My path. The day will come when you will have recognized Me; that day I shall have ceased to be with you.”