50 Euro Delos

2023 year


Gold (.999)	1 g	14 mm

Description

Issuer	Greece
Issuing bank	Bank of Greece (Τράπεζα της Ελλάδος)
Period	Third Hellenic Republic (1974-date)
Type	Non-circulating coin
Year	2023
Value	50 Euros 50 EUR = USD 55
Currency	Euro (2002-date)
Composition	Gold (.999)
Weight	1 g
Diameter	14 mm
Shape	Round
Technique	Milled
Orientation	Medal alignment ↑↑
Updated	2024-10-05

References

Numista	N#385338
Rarity index	90%

Reverse

Script: Greek

Lettering:
50 ΕΥΡΩ
2023

Translation:
50 Euro
2023

Engraver: Maria Andonatou

Edge

Plain

Comment

Delos is a small island of the Cyclades, so named because of the circle (cyclos) they form around it. 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. 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. Delos is an archaeological site in its entirety, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990. 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.

Interesting fact

The 50 Euro (Delos) 2023 gold coin from Greece features a unique design that showcases the ancient Greek city of Delos, which was once a major cultural and religious center in the Aegean Sea. The coin's obverse side features a depiction of the famous Terrace of the Lions, a row of marble lions that once guarded the entrance to the Temple of Apollo on the island of Delos. The reverse side of the coin features an image of a traditional Greek vessel, the "karavia", which was used for transportation and trade in ancient times. This coin is a beautiful tribute to Greece's rich history and cultural heritage.