Monday, 20 February 2023

2696) “CULTURAL HERITAGE - DELOS (the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis”), Hellenic Republic of Greece: A €50 (Fifty Euro) Gold Coin celebrates the island of Delos in the Cyclades Archipelago: Date/Year of Coin issue: 2023:

2696) “CULTURAL HERITAGE - DELOS (the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis”), Hellenic Republic of Greece: A €50 (Fifty Euro) Gold Coin celebrates the island of Delos in the Cyclades Archipelago: Date/Year of Coin issue: 2023:

The Island of Delos:  

The island of Delos, near Mykonos, in the centre of the Cyclades archipelago (so named because of the circle - cyclos - they form around it). 

It is one of the most important mythological, historical, and archaeological sites in Greece. The excavations in the island are among the most extensive in the Mediterranean; ongoing work took place under the direction of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Cyclades, and many of the artifacts found are on display at the Archaeological Museum of Delos and the National Archaeological Museum of Athens.

Delos is regarded as a holy sanctuary for a millennium before Olympian Greek mythology made it the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis. 

Sacred in antiquity for being the legendary birthplace of Apollo and Artemis, Delos was so revered that it was spared even by the invading Persians. 

From its Sacred Harbour, the horizon shows the three conical mounds that have identified landscapes sacred to the goddess Athena - in other sites - one, retaining its Pre-Greek name Mount Cynthus, is crowned with a sanctuary of Zeus.

In the 5th century BC, the island became the seat of the First Athenian League and of its common treasury, until Pericles moved it to Athens. 

The Athenians reorganised the Delia festival in honour of Apollo and made Delos a leading panhellenic sanctuary. 

Declared a free port by the Romans, Delos would become a major trading hub until its sack by Mithridates, king of Pontus, from which it never recovered. 

Systematic excavations by the École française d’Athènes began in 1873. 

With its famous Terrace of the Lions and the ruins of the ancient city scattered across the serene landscape, unspoilt by modern civilisation to this day, Delos exudes an air of sacredness and offers visitors a unique experience, totally different from the bustle of neighbouring Mykonos.

Delos is an archaeological site in its entirety, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990 citing its exceptional archaeological site which "conveys the image of a great cosmopolitan Mediterranean port", its influence on the development of Greek architecture, and its sacred importance throughout Ancient Greece.

Adds the Book titled "TREASURES OF THE WORLD - a complete guide the UNESCO World Heritage sites" in my personal library - 

" Delos bears unique witness to the civilisations of the Aegean world from the third millennium BC onwards.

According to Greek mythology, Apollo was born on this tiny island in the Cyclades, and it became the major sanctuary dedicated to him, attracting pilgrims from all over Greece. It was a very important cosmopolitan Mediterranean port.

Today the island's landscape consists solely of exceptionally extensive and rich ruins unearthed systematically since 1872.The principal zones are the Northeast coastal plain (Sanctuary of Apollo, Agora of the Compitaliasts, Agora of the Delians), the Sacred region (Agora of Theophrastos, Agora of the Italians, the renowned Terrace of the Lions); the Mount Kynthos area (Terrace of the Sanctuaries of the Foreign Gods, Heraion) and the theatre quarter, whose poignant ruins have been overrun by vegetation.

Delos' era of maritime trade ended in 69 BC with the sacking of the island by Athenodoros, and it was then abandoned in the sixth century. It was turned into a quarry site and the columns of its temples were consumed in lime kilns and the walls of its houses left in ruins."

The Coins:

On the Reverse of the €50 (Fifty Euro) Gold Proof Coin is seen a stylised image of a lemniscate or ribbon (a symbol of infinity) on a trident framed in a rectangular section. 

On the lower periphery is the denomination of the 50 EURO" (in Greek).


On the Obverse of the €50 (Fifty Euro) Gold Proof Coin is seen a stylised representation of the small island of Delos (spelt in Greek) on the upper periphery - in the Cyclades Archipelago. 

At centre right is the Coat of Arms/Emblem of the Hellenic Republic.

On the lower periphery is the inscription - "ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΔΕΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ" which is pronounced as "(H)ellenik(eh) Democratia" (meaning the "Greek Democracy").

The specification of the €50 (Fifty Euro) Gold Coin are:

Country of issue: Hellenic Republic of Greece; Date/Year: 2023; Coin Series Theme: "Cultural Heritage"; Coin Theme: "Delos - the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis"; Denomination/Face Value: €50 (Fifty Euro); Metal Composition: .9999 Fineness Gold (Au); Weight: 1.00 gram; Diameter/Size: 14.00 mm;  Coin Quality: Proof (P); Mint: Mint of Greece, on behalf of the Bank of Greece; Edge: Plain; Mintage: 1,500 pieces; Designer: M. Antonatou.

Packaging: Wooden Box with Certificate of Authenticity (COA).






Other interesting posts on Greek Coinage and Commemorative Coins:

 2) Some ancient coins depicting Greek mythology & history 


















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6 comments:

  1. coins and more20 February 2023 at 14:41

    Santosh Khanna has commented:
    "Very nice and interesting post. Thanks for sharing."

    ReplyDelete
  2. coins and more21 February 2023 at 23:03

    Rajan Trikha has commented:
    "A very nice post."

    ReplyDelete
  3. coins and more21 February 2023 at 23:04

    Rsanker Sharma has commented:
    "A very nice post."

    ReplyDelete