We don’t have much to with explaining this one, as the images and the video provided do almost all of the heavy lifting. This is a solid sphere of silver that weighs in at a full kilo. The subject is a popular one – the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, so popular that there’s another series lower down also running through these iconic structures.

The ‘top’ of the sphere has what is basically a title image, and the base has the usual coin inscription details, along with the issuing nation. In this case, that’s the African nation of Djibouti, quite a rare sight in modern coins. The star of the show here is a wide band running around the coin that depicts the seven structures that make up this legendary grouping.

Set between parallel borders made of Greek meanders, the seven objects are shown side by side in a single scene that seems to merge from one of the them to the next almost seamlessly. Each looks familiar to the commonly accepted appearance of them, and the antique finish works well in giving it texture and depth in the absence of high-relief.

This is the fourth issue in MDM’s ‘The 7 Wonders of the Ancient World’ series of 100 gram gold and silver coins. Previous issues have been the Great Pyramids, the Statue of Zeus, and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, and they all employ what the mint calls its ‘multiple layer technique’. It’s always been an interesting series, the subject alone makes that a certainty, but this latest issue is better than what has come before, in my opinion.

As before, there are 100 gram variants of the same design available in gold or silver, both with 0.999 fineness. The silver coin employs an antique finish to good effect, as it seems to be one that particularly suits the genre, and goes some way to explaining its ubiquity in coins about the ancient world. The gold variant is struck to a proof-like finish, and I have to say it looks quite glorious.

The design depicts the famous Colossus of Rhodes (of the Greek sun god Helios), the bronze statue that was said to stand near (not over) the entrance to the harbour at Rhodes. Created by sculptor Chares of Lindon to celebrate the famous victory over the invasion forces of the Macedonian king, Demetrius I, it was believed to stand about 33 metres high, and was completed in 280 BCE. It collapsed in an earthquake in 226 BCE and was scrapped in 654 CE after laying in pieces for almost 900 years.

It’s a terrific depiction, if a little idealised, with the ships in the foreground, and the temple-laden hills behind. There’s an excellent and effective sense of depth, making it feel like a coherent scene. I really like this one, and it’s both the cheapest coin here (in silver form), and the most expensive.

We won’t have to spend too much time on this very cool Spartan helmet coin as it’s pretty much an exact copy of the coin they released in late-2020. There, it was the first in a series of ten-ounce coins, and was followed up with Viking and Trojan helmets, but here, the weight has halved to five ounces. That’s still quite a chonky boy, and a costly one, but it’s much more affordable at todays elevated silver prices. Ironically, the ten ounce coin retailed for less in 2021 than this five ounce one does today. A stark reminder of the effects of speculation on modern numismatics.

Despite that, this remains a favourite of mine, and we’re hoping that the other coins in this series get a similarly smaller re-issue. The finish looks spot-on, and the packaging is superbly themed.

This one looks to be quite the piece of intricate coin design, depicting the battle between the Greek hero Hercules, and the many headed monster known as the Lernaean Hydra. It was the second of the Twelve Labours that Hercules had been tasked with, and one he completed successfully. The Hydra was said to grow two heads for every one cut off, but the number it started with differs depending on the source. Consistency has never been a strong suit of the ancient myths.

The coin, almost certainly cast, features a nine-headed beast, with Hercules in combat with five of them on the reverse face. The other four do decorative duty on the obverse, with coherence being attained through the mass of the Hydra near the base, and running through a ringed border emblazoned with Greek meander patterns. Hercules carries a club for bashing, and a flaming torch for cauterising the severed necks and preventing new heads growing.

The whole thing has a very nice black antique finish, and is quite a remarkable looking sight to behold. Sadly, this is the only one of these four coins not to get a video yet. The packaging looks well realised, and I reckon this will make a fine display item for a glass cabinet. Again, this won’t be for everyone, especially with what a 10oz coin sells for these days, but the lucky few will find much to like here, I’m sure.