The breakneck pace of release of the New Zealand Mints Creatures of Greek Mythology silver coin series continues apace with the sixth debut in under a year. This unusual series takes a look at the underbelly of the realms of the ancient gods with such interesting creatures as Cerberus, the Centaur, Minotaur, the Gorgon, and Cyclopes.
Despite being the genre finish of choice, these aren’t antiqued, but struck to a clean proof finish, a nice change. This coin depicts the ancient legend of the Sirens, beautiful nymphs that lured unsuspecting sailors to their doom using their enchanted singing to force them to shipwreck on the rocky coast. The classical style of artwork remains, as does the unusual faux suede bag meant to look like an ancient Greek money pouch. The obverse is the usual Niue effort, an Ian Rank Broadley effigy of Queen Elizabeth II. As before the coin is $80.00 USD from the NZ Mint webstore and from dealers worldwide.
COIN IMAGES
MINTS DESCRIPTION
This stunning Creatures of Greek Mythology – Sirens 1 oz Silver Coin is the sixth coin to be released in this popular collection.
In Greek mythology, Sirens were beautiful yet dangerous nymphs with voices that lured sailors to their doom, causing ships to crash on the reefs surrounding their island.
Sirens were said to be handmaidens of the goddess Persephone, who was abducted by Hades, the God of the underworld. After searching in vain for Persephone, the Sirens eventually gave up and settled on the island of Anthemoessa. From this beautiful place, they continued to eternally call for Persephone’s return, with their captivating, yet sad melody.
According to Homer’s Odyssey, Odysseus managed to elude disaster by blocking the ears of his ship’s crew with wax as they passed the island. Out of curiosity, he himself chose to be bound to the mast, to listen and be tortured by the Sirens song.
This coin face shows an engraved illustration of the Sirens singing to Odysseus as his ship passes Anthemoessa.
The Creatures of Greek Mythology – Sirens 1 oz Silver Coin is packaged in a brown, faux-suede soft drawstring bag, styled after ancient Greek money pouches. The coin sits in a specially designed pocket within the money pouch, and the Certificate of Authenticity is printed on the inside of the packaging.
PREVIOUS COINS IN THE SERIES
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SPECIFICATION
| DENOMINATION | COMPOSITION | WEIGHT | DIAMETER | FINISH | MINTAGE | BOX / COA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2 NEW ZEALAND | 0.999 SILVER | 31.1 g | 40.0 mm | PROOF | 2,000 | YES / YES |
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