Category Archives: Euro Coins Gold

Greece – 50 Euro gold, ANCIENT THEATRE OF EPIDAURUS, 2022

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Greece 50 euro gold ancient theatre Epidaurus 2022

CULTURAL HERITAGE – THE ANCIENT THEATRE OF EPIDAURUS.

The ancient theatre of Epidaurus, one of the best preserved of antiquity, is located on the grounds of a sanctuary to the healing god Asclepius. Attributed to the architect Polykleitos, it was constructed in the late 4th century BC, with subsequent additions. The cavea of the theatre, built into the natural hillside, comprises an upper and lower tier, separated by a walkway. The circular orchestra, 19.54 m. in diameter, was where the chorus performed, while the actors moved about the proscenium of a two-storey stage building, of which only the foundations survive.

Excavated by Panagiotis Kavvadias in 1881-83, the theatre required only limited restoration. The first modern-day revival of Greek drama at Epidaurus was directed by Dimitris Rontiris in 1938. Since 1954, the theatre has become the venue of the Epidaurus Festival, hosting mainly ancient tragedy and comedy productions. Thousands of spectators thus have an opportunity every summer to admire the theatre’s renowned acoustics and enjoy the unique experience of ancient drama in its natural setting.

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Greece – 100 Euro gold, OLYMPIAN GODDESS APHRODITE, 2021

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Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, was one of the most popular Olympian deities. According to Homer, she was the daughter of Zeus and Dione, while according to Hesiod, she was born from the sea foam produced by Ouranos’s genitals, severed by his son Kronos. Her birthplace was contested by Paphos (Cyprus) and Kythera, hence her epithets Kypris and Kythereia. She was worshipped as Aphrodite Ourania (the heavenly) and Pandemos (“of all folk”, the vulgar), alluding, respectively, to spiritual and to sensual love. Although married to Hephaistos, Aphrodite had numerous lovers, including gods (most notably Ares) and mortals (Adonis or Anchises, to whom she bore Aeneas, progenitor of the Romans). One tradition portrays her as mother of Eros (Cupid), the mischievous winged god. Over the centuries, Aphrodite has inspired such masterpieces of art as the Knidian Aphrodite (by Praxiteles), the Venus de Milo and the Birth of Venus (by Boticelli).

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Greece – 100 Euro gold, OLYMPIAN GOD ARES, 2022

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Greece, 100 euro gold proof, Ares, Aris,2022 Greek Mythology
Greece, 100 euro gold proof, Ares, Aris,2022

GREEK MYTHOLOGY – THE OLYMPIAN GODS – ARES.

Ares, son of Zeus and Hera, was the god of war. His children from his adulterous affair with Aphrodite, the wife of Hephaistos, included Harmonia (who later wed Cadmos, the founder of Thebes) and his companions in battle, Phobos and Deimos (embodiments of fear and dread, respectively). In contrast with his sister Athena, who represented protection of cities and strategy,

Ares was associated with the blind brutality of war. This explains why he was not popular with the Greeks, who – despite their frequent wars and high regard for military valour – were not a bellicose people. Even his own father, Zeus, in the Iliad calls him the most loathsome of the Olympian gods because of his belligerent nature. Very few temples were devoted to Ares in the Greek world (in Troizina, Geronthrai and Alikarnassos).

As for the Temple of Ares in the ancient agora of Athens, it had originally been erected in some other community of Attica, in honour perhaps of another god, before being moved to the centre of Athens and rededicated to Ares during the reign of Augustus, probably in connection with the Roman cult of Mars Ultor.

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Greece – 100 Euro gold, OLYMPIAN GOD HERMES, 2020

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Hermes was the son of Zeus and the Pleiad Maia, daughter of Atlas. Born on Mt Kyllene, Hermes immediately showed signs of cunning resourcefulness, stealing Apollo’s cattle and promptly crafting the first lyre to appease him. Known as dolios, i.e. the schemer, Hermes was the divine trickster and patron of thieves. But, above all, he was the herald of the gods, which is why he was traditionally depicted wearing winged shoes, sporting a petasos (a broad-brimmed hat worn by travellers) and holding a caduceus. As psychopompos (i.e. conveyor of souls), he guided the souls of the deceased to the underworld. He was the protector of shepherds, tradesmen, as well as travellers. In fact, the road markers of the ancient Greeks were called herms, i.e. rectangular shafts topped by the head of hodios Hermes (i.e. Hermes of the roads). Given his additional status as patron of athletes, statues of him often adorned gymnasiums and stadiums. His varied roles, together with his playfulness, made Hermes the friendliest of the Olympian gods.

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Greece – 50 Euro gold, ANCIENT MESSENE, 2020

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The ancient city of Messene was built in 369 BC at the foot of mount Ithomi, sacred to the Messenians, after the Spartans had suffered a crushing defeat to the Thebans under Epameinondas at the battle of Leuktra (371 BC), which led to the Messenians’ liberation. The city was surrounded by a 9.5 km-long fortification wall, with two gates, the Laconian and the Arcadian. Although the former no longer stands, the latter is now the site’s emblematic monument, winning a Europa Nostra Diploma in 2005 for its excellent restoration. Archaeological excavations, first launched in the late 19th century and resumed since 1986 under Professor Petros Themelis, include a vast programme of impressive restorations. These allow the visitor to form a vivid and accurate picture of the most important public buildings, including the Arsinoe fountain, the Asclepieion building complex, the stadium with the mausoleum of the Saithidae family, the gymnasium, the theatre and the odeon (also called ecclesiasterion, i.e. assembly hall).

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The Hellenic Numismatic Programme 2019

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The Ministry of Finance – General Accounting Office has announced that the Hellenic Numismatic Programme of 2019 is scheduled to include the issuance of the following products:

I. COMMEMORATIVE CIRCULATION COINS

• €2 COMMEMORATIVE CIRCULATION COIN DEDICATED TO: “ANDREAS KALVOS – 150 YEARS IN MEMORIAM” (maximum issue 748,500 pieces)

• €2 COMMEMORATIVE CIRCULATION COIN DEDICATED TO: “CENTENARY OF THE BIRTH OF MANOLIS ANDRONICOS” (maximum issue 748,500 pieces)

II.COLLECTOR COINS

• €200 GOLD COIN DEDICATED TO: “GREEK CULTURE – HISTORIANS – THUCYDIDES (maximum issue 750 pieces)

• €100 MINI GOLD PLUS COIN DEDICATED TO: “GREEK MYTHOLOGY – THE OLYMPIAN GODS – DEMETER” (maximum issue 1,200 pieces)

• €50 MINI GOLD COIN DEDICATED TO: “CULTURAL HERITAGE – THE HERAION OF SAMOS” (maximum issue 1,500 pieces)

• €10 SILVER COIN DEDICATED TO: “EUROPA STAR 2019 – RENNAISSANCE” (maximum issue 5,000 pieces)

• €10 SILVER COIN DEDICATED TO: “GREEK CULTURE – LYRIC POETS – ALCAEUS” (maximum issue 1,200 pieces)

• €10 SILVER COIN DEDICATED TO: “GREEK CULTURE – HISTORIANS – THUCYDIDES” (maximum issue 1,200 pieces)

• €6 MINI SILVER COIN DEDICATED TO: “50 YEARS SINCE THE FIRST MAN ON THE MOON” (maximum issue 1,200 pieces)

• BLISTER WITH A COLLECTOR, COLOURED €5 CIRCULATION QUALITY COIN DEDICATED TO: “ENVIRONMENT – ENDEMIC FLORA OF GREECE – TULIPA GOULIMYI” (maximum issue 5,000 pieces)

• BLISTER WITH A COLLECTOR €5 CIRCULATION QUALITY COIN DEDICATED TO: “CENTENARY OF THE CONSIGNMENT DEPOSITS AND LOANS FUND” (maximum issue 4,000 pieces)

III. SPECIAL EDITIONS

• BLISTER SET DEDICATED TO: “GREEK TOURISM – SAMOS” CONTAINING ALL EIGHT DENOMINATIONS OF 2019 GREEK EURO COINS (maximum issue 10,000 pieces)

• PROOF COIN SET CONTAINING ALL ΤΕΝ DENOMINATIONS OF 2019 GREEK EURO COINS IN A WOODEN BOX (maximum issue 1,500 pieces)

 

France – 50 Euro gold, VENUS OF MILO (GREECE), 2017

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france-50-euro-gold-venus-of-milo-2017Aphrodite of Milos, better known as the Venus de Milo, is an ancient Greek statue and one of the most famous works of ancient Greek sculpture. Created sometime between 130 and 100 BC, the statue is believed to depict Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty (Venus to the Romans). It is a marble sculpture, slightly larger than life size at 203 cm (6 ft 8 in) high. Part of an arm and the original plinth were lost following its discovery. From an inscription that was on its plinth, the statue is thought to be the work of Alexandros of Antioch; earlier, it was mistakenly attributed to the master sculptor Praxiteles. It is currently on permanent display at the Louvre Museum in Paris. The statue is named after the Greek island of Milos, where it was discovered.

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