Mint 21 debuts it’s first Goddesses of Health, the Greco-Roman Hygieia Salus

Mint 21’s latest new coin series is a timely look at the world of deities worshipped for their protection from the ailes of nature. Clearly they’re all having a siesta given what’s been happening over the last few months, but nevertheless, a fascinating subject. The series kicks off with a nice safe subject, from the ancient Greco-Roman world, Hygieia Salus.

One of the daughters of the Greek god of medicine, Asclepius, Hygieia was the personification of health, cleanliness and hygiene. She was one of four sisters, along with Panacea (universal remedy, Iaso (recuperation from illness), Aceso (the healing process), and Aglaïa (beauty, splendor, glory, magnificence, and adornment). Perhaps future subjects for this series. The Salus comes from the Roman adoption of her as the goddess of social welfare.

The coin features an attractive, almost Victorian-style depiction of the figure in full colour. Set against an antique finished background, we can imagine the finished article to be a bright, stylish affair. The small ancient period border gives way to an altogether more intricate and later-style affair on the obverse. Issued for the African nation, Ghana, it carries the effigy of the head of the Commonwealth, Queen Elizabeth II, at its centre.

This is a fifty-gram fine silver coin with a maximum mintage of 500 pieces, reaching out to an impressive 50mm in diameter. Mint 21 issues are nicely presented with a Certificate of Authenticity, and this one will be no different. A second coin is billed as ‘coming soon’, so we’d expect that before the end of the year. A great idea for a series, continuing Mint 21’s run of them, this makes a nice addition to a genre occupied by the Mint of Poland’s Goddesses and a select few others. It should be available to pre-order now, with shipping around September time, although it might slip if Hygieia doesn’t get her finger out and sort the coronavirus…

MINTS DESCRIPTION

This coin opens a new impressive series that is called “Goddesses of Health”. Hygieia was the goddess of health, cleanliness, and hygiene. Salus, in Roman religion, the goddess of safety and welfare, later identified with the Greek Hygieia. As well as on this coin, she was regularly represented as Hygieia, with patera and sacred snake, and with ears of grain, symbolizing prosperity. The bowl represents a medicinal potion, and the snake represents healing.

However, decorations on the coin will attract not only ancient mythology lovers but also the most demanding connoisseurs of numismatics. The digital printing technique greatly illustrates the goddess, emphasizing the smallest details of this unique coin.