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Athens 2004 - Olympic games coins
Starting from March 2003, the Bank of Greece issued a series of six different coin series commemorating the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. The total collection includes 18 coins (6 Gold and 12 Silver) which have been released in 6 quarterly issues, each consisting of 1 Gold and 2 Silver coins. The themes were selected by the Minister for the National Economy and the Governor of the Bank of Greece, from a set of proposals presented by a national technical and artistic committee. A special series comprising 2 gold and 4 silver coins was also minted to commemoratwe the Olympic Torch Relay.
Introduction and Series: A - B - C - D - E - F and Olympic Torch Relay
Designs
The coins have been designed by the painter and engraver Panayiotis Gravalos, while the reliefs were created by the sculptor Kostas Kazakos, who, having worked for five years for the Greek Mint, has put his signature on several of the most beautiful Greek coins. One of these, the 50 drachma coin, was awarded first prize in a competition in Washington D.C., USA, in 1988 and is considered by many to be the most beautiful coin in the world. The Official Coins of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Games are of unique value to coin collectors, since they will be limited in number of designs and mintage per coin, compared to previous Olympic coin collections.
The designs of the Gold coins have a civilization theme and portray prominent landmarks from the history of Greece. The Silver coins feature sporting themes and each design motif has been rendered using a modern depiction in the foreground contrasted with a classical depiction of the sport in the background. Thus the designs communicate the passage - through - time with the foreground modern depiction rendered in a crisp precise manner, while the classical backgrounds are rendered in such a way that they appear to be worn, much as a coin appears with the passage of time. The Olympic Flame series portrays themes from the Olympic Torch Relay
Common side - Specifications
 
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Diameter (mm): 25 / 40 Weight (g): 10 / 34 Shape: Round Edge: Smooth Mintage: 28,000 / 68,000 (each design) Mintage: 160,000 / 820,000 (total) Face value: 10 / 100 euros Fineness: Proof 999.9 (24K) / 925 (sterling) Price: 440 / 44 euros Description: Features two concentric rings: The outer ring portrays 12 stars, a design motif characteristic of Euro coins, and the inner ring portrays the face value of 100 euros face value for the gold coins and 10 euros for the silver ones, an olive branch, the ATHENS 2004 logo, the five Olympic circles, and the anthemion flower - the symbol of quality of the Greek Mint Certificates of Authenticity: Gold coins - Obverse & Reverse Silver coins - Obverse & Reverse |
Footnote Specifications for gold and silver coins respectively
Fifth series
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Issue date: 1.4.2004 Description: The fifth series of the Official Coins of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Games was issued on March 1, 2004. The coins can be purchased individually, in sets of two silver coins and a complete set including all three coins, the gold and the two silver ones. The collection will be completed with 1 more series. |
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KM#: 204 Description: The Acropolis of Athens, is one of the most glorious creations of humankind. It was constructed between 447 and 432 bc and was originally painted in vivid reds and blues, but the marble pillars gradually lost their paint and faded to white. It encompasses a remarkable collection of ancient Greek monuments, including the Parthenon, the Erechtheum, the Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike, and others. The Acropolis represents all the periods of the city that lies at its feet, since all the historical events of Athens unfolded and centred around this low rock. It is also directly relevant to athletic events since during the festival of the Panathenaea a torch race took place at night, starting from the altar of Prometheus in the Academy and ending before the altar of Athena on the top of the rock. |
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KM#: 203 Description: Wrestling has been popular throughout recorded history. Early Egyptian and Babylonian reliefs depict wrestlers using most of the holds known to the modern sport. In ancient Greece, wrestling occupied a prominent place in legend and literature; wrestling competition, brutal in many aspects, was the supreme contest of the Olympian Games. On the coin, a modern athlete applies a waist-hold on his opponent and prepares to twist him round and throw him down to the ground, while in the background two ancient athletes are pictured in the stance known as akrocheirismos (finger-hold) and are pushing their heads against each other. This representation has been taken from a black-figure vase |
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KM#: 202 Description: Weightlifting is a sport based on the lifting of a series of progressively heavier metal weights. It is popular internationally, notably in the United States, the countries of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), Germany, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Finland, Greece, Turkey, and Cuba. On the coin, a weightlifter executes a snatch move (arase): he is standing and holding the weights above his head, while the ancient athlete in the background is attempting to lift two natural stones, in a portrayal inspired by that on a black-figure vase of the 6th-5th century B.C. |
Buy the fifth collective series
Efsimon Collections SA was the official licensee of the Olympic Committee for the distribution of the Official Coins of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Games. Efsimon Collections SA supported the effort towards organising the best Olympic Games by creating high quality products with high collective value.
| Item | |
| Complete set (1 Gold and 2 Silver coins) | |
| Silver set (2 Silver coins) | |
