Product Information
LIMITED QUANTITIES AVAILABLE
"To the victor go the spoils of war." Though the phrase wasn't coined until modern times, the concept has played out throughout world history. But never more magnificently than it did in ancient Greece, where the Colossus of Rhodes once stood watch over an embattled island -- 10 stories tall and a shining example of what victors could build with the spoils of their enemies.
Struck in gleaming silver, this ancient Greek drachm celebrates the legendary sun god Helios, who inspired the immense statue. As the tallest statue of its time, the Colossus was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It was built by Rhodians to celebrate victory after a year-long siege against the island...using funds from what the enemy left behind as they fled.
Though the Colossus was felled by an earthquake only 54 years after it was completed in 280 BC, Helios lived on in the hearts -- and the currency -- of the ancient Greeks. Issued in the second century BC, this silver drachm features Helios, the god of the sun and patron deity of Rhodes. On the obverse is his proud portrait, radiantly crowned with the rays of the sun. The reverse depicts a rose -- a symbol and visual pun on the city name, "Rhodos," used to ensure even illiterate citizens could identify the source of the coin.
Preserved over millennia, these ancient coins are extremely high quality, with all details clearly recognizable. A tribute to the long-standing glory of this ancient wonder.
PRODUCT DETAILS:
- Metal: solid silver
- Diameter 15-17mm
- Weight 2-3 grams
- Year of Issue: Issued in the 2nd century BC
- Circulated condition
- NOTE: Each coin is unique and guaranteed in its authenticity, not a restrike or reproduction. Images are for illustration only; actual coin may vary.