We Buy Collectible Coins & Banknotes
2024
10 euro 2024 Proof Greek Culture – Ancient Greek Technology – Archimedes Screw
Greek collectible silver proof coin with a face value of 10 euros, for the Greek Culture - Ancient Greek Technology - Archimedes Screw, maximum number of 2,000 pieces, Bank of Greece mint, issued in 2024.
Archimedes’ screw is a brilliant device used for raising and transporting water. Archimedes is said to have invented it during his stay in Egypt, probably in view of farmers’ need to utilise Nile water for irrigation purposes. It is essentially a hollow tube that contains a spiral or helix that winds its way up. When the lower end of the tube is placed in water and the screw is turned, either manually or mechanically, water trapped within its coils rises until it reaches the top of the tube and pours out into irrigation ditches. The invention is described by the Roman architect Vitruvius, while Diodorus Siculus says that it was also used for draining water from mines. For its simplicity and ingenuity, the device has been popular over time and is still used today in similar applications.
The photo is indicative, the coin you will receive is in the original box along with the certificate of authenticity.
| Issuer | Greece  |
|---|---|
| Ruling authority | Third Hellenic Republic (1974-date) |
| Type | Non-circulating coins |
| Year | 2024 |
| Value | 10 Euros (10 EUR) |
| Currency | Euro (2002-date) |
| Composition | Silver (.925) |
| Weight | 34.10 g |
| Diameter | 40 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Technique | Coloured, Milled |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
10 euro 2024 Proof Greek Culture – Mathematicians – Thales of Miletus
Greek collectible silver proof coin with a face value of 10 euros, for the Greek Culture - Mathematicians - Thales of Miletus, maximum number of 2,000 pieces, Bank of Greece mint, issued in 2024.
Born in Miletus, on the Ionian coast of Asia Minor, Thales (c. 624-540 BC) was the first known Greek mathematician, the first Greek philosopher and one of the seven sages of antiquity. Breaking with mythological interpretations and believing that the world can be explained as a set of natural processes, he considered water, origin of all, in the spirit of natural philosophy that he pioneered. Thales excelled in cosmology, astronomy, physics and geometry. One of his best known contributions to mathematics is Thales’ theorem, or basic proportionality theorem. Thales was said to have calculated the height of the pyramids and predicted the solar eclipse of 585 BC. According to an anecdote, Thales fell into a well while stargazing. His importance as a thinker is enormous, as he was first in the long tradition of European philosophy and introduced the mathematical study of natural phenomena.
The photo is indicative, the coin you will receive is in the original box along with the certificate of authenticity.
| Issuer | Greece |
|---|---|
| Ruling authority | Third Hellenic Republic (1974-date) |
| Type | Non-circulating coins |
| Year | 2024 |
| Value | 10 Euros (10 EUR) |
| Currency | Euro (2002-date) |
| Composition | Silver (.925) |
| Weight | 34.1 g |
| Diameter | 40 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Technique | Milled |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
10 euro 2024 Proof Martyred villages and towns of Greece
Greek collectible silver proof coin with a face value of 10 euros, for the Martyred villages and towns of Greece, maximum number of 5,000 pieces, Bank of Greece mint, issued in 2024.
During World War II and the triple (German, Italian, Bulgarian) occupation of the country, Greece paid a heavy toll, losing about 10% of its population to armed conflict, famine and reprisals. The Greek people’s indomitable spirit and stubborn reaction to the fascist occupation triggered fierce reprisals by the occupying troops, which destroyed some 1,700 settlements in retaliation to the National Resistance activities, committing mass executions of civilians, arson and looting. The massacres of Distomo (Central Greece), Kalavryta (Peloponnese), Kommeno (Epirus), Doxato (Macedonia) and Viannos (Crete) figure among the worst atrocities during World War II. In the Bulgarian occupation zone, persecutions took the form of ethnic cleansing aimed at the forced Bulgarisation of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace. Martyred villages and towns of Greece are recognised by Presidential Decree and are part of a network currently numbering 131 members.
The photo is indicative, the coin you will receive is in the original box along with the certificate of authenticity.
10 euro 2024 Proof Philhellenes – Charles Fabvier
Greek collectible silver proof coin with a face value of 10 euros, for the Philhellenes - Charles Fabvier, maximum number of 1,500 pieces, Bank of Greece mint, issued in 2024.
Charles Nicolas Fabvier (1782-1855) was a distinguished officer of the French army. He served under Napoleon and took part in his campaigns. Dismissed from service after the Bourbon restoration, he decided in 1823 to come to Greece and assist in the War of Independence, persuading many experienced Bonapartists to join him. Following the crushing defeat of the Philhellenes’ Battalion led by Karl Normann, Fabvier undertook to recruit and train regular troops, which excelled in several battles. He learned to speak fluent Greek and was very popular with his men. He was perhaps the most honest and selfless of all philhellenes. In a bold move, on 30 November 1826 he managed to break through the lines of the besieging Ottoman troops and relieve the garrison of the Acropolis, which he defended until the surrender of the stronghold in 1827. In recognition of his services, the Third National Assembly of Troezen (1827) made him an honorary Greek citizen, while King Otto later awarded him with the Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer.
The photo is indicative, the coin you will receive is in the original box along with the certificate of authenticity.
| Issuer | Greece |
|---|---|
| Ruling authority | Third Hellenic Republic (1974-date) |
| Type | Non-circulating coins |
| Year | 2024 |
| Value | 10 Euros (10 EUR) |
| Currency | Euro (2002-date) |
| Composition | Silver (.925) |
| Weight | 34.1 g |
| Diameter | 40 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Technique | Milled |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
100 euro 2024 Hephaestus Proof
Greek collectible gold proof coin with a face value of 100 euros, for the Gods of Olympus - HEPHAESTUS, maximum number of 1,200 pieces, Bank of Greece mint, issue in 2024. WEIGHT 3.89 gr., MATERIAL Gold 99.99% (Au).
Hephaestus was god of smithing and craftsmanship in general, of fire and volcanoes (hephaesteia), which were so named after Vulcan, his counterpart in the Roman pantheon. He was son of Zeus and Hera, but was such an ugly infant that Hera hurled him down from heaven in a rage. He landed on Lemnos, with both his feet crippled, and set up his smithy on the island. The Greeks believed that Hephaestus’ smithies lay beneath volcanoes. As the gods’ master craftsman, he was credited with the chariot of the Sun, Achilles’ shield, automata (robots) and other mythological artefacts. He was married to Aphrodite, who cheated on him with Ares. His cult was widespread in volcanic areas (Aetna, Lipari Islands, etc.), while the entire island of Lemnos was sacred to the god. In Athens, the so-called Theseum was actually a temple of Hephaestus, where he was worshiped as patron of craftsmen together with Athena Ergane.
| Issuer | Greece |
|---|---|
| Ruling authority | Third Hellenic Republic (1974-date) |
| Type | Non-circulating coins |
| Year | 2024 |
| Value | 100 Euros (100 EUR) |
| Currency | Euro (2002-date) |
| Composition | Gold (.9999) |
| Weight | 3.89 g |
| Diameter | 17.5 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Technique | Milled |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
2 euro 2024 Proof 150 Years from the Birth of Penelope Delta
Greek commemorative copper nickel proof coin 2 euros, for the 150 Years from the birth of Penelope Delta, maximum number of pieces 3.500, Bank of Greece mint, issued in 2024. Penelope Delta was a pioneer of children’s literature in Greece. Generations of Greek children have been raised with her books, which remain popular.
2 euro 2024 Proof 50 Years from the Restoration of Democracy in Greece
Greek commemorative copper nickel proof coin 2 euros, for the 50 Years from the Restoration of Democracy in Greece, maximum number of pieces 3.500, Bank of Greece mint, issued in 2024. The fall of the colonels’ junta on 24 July 1974 marked the restoration of democracy in Greece following a seven-year dictatorship. The design features the Hellenic Parliament building, surrounded by the wording ‘50 ΧΡΟΝΙΑ ΑΠΟ ΤΗ ΜΕΤΑΠΟΛΙΤΕΥΣΗ’ (‘50 YEARS FROM THE RESTORATION OF DEMOCRACY IN GREECE’) and ‘ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ’ (‘HELLENIC REPUBLIC’). Below is inscribed a palmette (mintmark of the Greek Mint). The fall of the colonels’ junta on 24 July 1974 marked the restoration of democracy in Greece following a seven-year dictatorship. A geographical map of Western Europe spans the outer ring and inner core on the right side of the coin. The inscription 2 EURO is superimposed over the map of Europe, with the numeral “2” located in an open field representing the eastern Atlantic Ocean. 12 stars are located on the right side of the outer ring, with six stars atop the map of Europe and six stars below it; six vertical stripes cut across the inner core of the coin, visually connecting the upper and lower star segments.
200 euro Penelope Delta 2024 Proof
Greek collectible gold proof coin with a face value of 200 euros, for the 150 years from the birth of Penelope Delta, maximum number of 750 pieces, Bank of Greece mint, issue in 2024. The photo is indicative, the coin you will receive is in the original box along with the certificate of authenticity.
Penelope Delta was a pioneer of children’s literature in Greece and perhaps the most important Greek woman in turbulent times for Hellenism, with rich philanthropic activity. Born in Alexandria, Egypt, she was daughter of Emmanuel Benakis, later mayor of Athens and national benefactor, and wife of Phanariote merchant Stephanos Deltas. She became close friends with the leading statesman of the time, Eleftherios Venizelos, and had a passionate romance with Ion Dragoumis, which remained platonic.
Encouraged by poet Kostis Palamas, Penelope Delta wrote historical novels for children, with themes related to contemporary national issues (In the Heroic Age of Basil II: Emperor of Byzantium, For the sake of the fatherland, The secrets of the swamp), as well as other books, including A tale without a name, Trelantonis, Mangas and The life of Christ. She aspired, as she said, to “awaken in Greek children noble and lofty ideals”, instilling in them such values as patriotism, friendship and love. Generations of Greek children have been raised with her books, which remain popular. Penelope Delta took her own life when the Nazis entered Athens in 1941.
| Issuer | Greece |
|---|---|
| Period | Third Hellenic Republic (1974-date) |
| Type | Non-circulating coins |
| Year | 2024 |
| Value | 200 Euros (200 EUR) |
| Currency | Euro (2002-date) |
| Composition | Gold (.917) |
| Weight | 7.98 g |
| Diameter | 22.1 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Technique | Milled |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
5 euro 2024 Proof The Mediterranean monk seal Monachus Monachus
Greek collectible silver proof coin with a face value of 5 euros, for the Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus, maximum number of 3,000 pieces, Bank of Greece mint, issued in 2024. The photo is indicative, the coin you will receive is in the original box along with the certificate of authenticity.
| Issuer | Greece |
|---|---|
| Ruling authority | Third Hellenic Republic (1974-date) |
| Type | Non-circulating coins |
| Year | 2024 |
| Value | 5 Euros (5 EUR) |
| Currency | Euro (2002-date) |
| Composition | Billon (.333 silver) |
| Weight | 17 g |
| Diameter | 31 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Technique | Coloured, Milled |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
50 euro The Temple of Apollo Epikourios 2024 Proof
Greek collectible gold proof coin with a face value of 50 euros, for the cultural heritage of The Temple of Apollo Epikourios, maximum number of 1,200 pieces, Bank of Greece mint, issue in 2024.
UNESCO-listed since 1986, the temple of Apollo Epikourios (“Apollo the helper”) stands at an elevation of 1,130 metres above sea level on the Arcadian highlands at Bassae (today Prefecture of Ilia). According to Pausanias, it was commissioned by the Arcadian city of Phigalia and was designed by Iktinos, architect of the Parthenon. The name Epikourios refers either to the healing powers of Apollo, who was believed to have saved the Phigalians from the plague, or to his patronage of Arcadian mercenaries (epikouroi).
It is one of the boldest and most original monuments of 5th-century classical architecture, as it combines all three orders: Doric (it had 6 x 15 Doric columns), Ionic (the interior was adorned with Ionic half-columns and a frieze with scenes of Greeks fighting Amazons and Lapiths fighting Centaurs) and Corinthian (in the inner sanctuary stood one column with the earliest known Corinthian capital).
It was first excavated by a team of foreign travellers in 1812 and today its frieze is exhibited at the British Museum. Due to its isolated location, the temple has survived in a fair state of preservation, albeit with serious static problems. The difficult restoration project has been entrusted to the Committee for the Conservation of the Temple of Apollo Epikourios.
| Issuer | Greece |
|---|---|
| Ruling authority | Third Hellenic Republic (1974-date) |
| Type | Non-circulating coins |
| Year | 2024 |
| Value | 50 Euros (50 EUR) |
| Currency | Euro (2002-date) |
| Composition | Gold (.999) |
| Weight | 1 g |
| Diameter | 14 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Technique | Milled |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
6 euro 2024 Proof 150 Years of the universal postal union
Greek collectible silver proof coin with a face value of 6 euros, 150 Years of the universal postal union, maximum number of 1,000 pieces, Bank of Greece mint, issued in 2024.
Established in 1874, the Universal Postal Union (UPU), with its headquarters in Bern, Switzerland, is the second oldest international organisation. With its 192 member countries, the UPU is the primary forum for cooperation between postal sector players. It helps to ensure a truly universal network of up-to-date products and services. In this way, the organisation fulfils an advisory, mediating and liaison role, and provides technical assistance where needed. It sets the rules for international mail exchanges and makes recommendations to stimulate growth in mail, parcel and financial services volumes and improve quality of service for customers. The UPU consists of four bodies: the Congress, which is the supreme authority of the Union and meets every four years; the Council of Administration, which supervises activities; the Postal Operations Council, which is the technical and operational mind of the Union; and the International Bureau, which fulfils a secretariat function. In the time of globalisation, the Union’s objective of achieving a global single postal territory becomes all the more relevant.
The photo is indicative, the coin you will receive is in the original box along with the certificate of authenticity.
| Issuer | Greece |
|---|---|
| Issuing bank | Bank of Greece (Τράπεζα της Ελλάδος) |
| Period | Third Hellenic Republic (1974-date) |
| Type | Non-circulating coins |
| Year | 2024 |
| Value | 6 Euros (6 EUR) |
| Currency | Euro (2002-date) |
| Composition | Silver (.925) |
| Weight | 10 g |
| Diameter | 28.50 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Technique | Coloured, Milled |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
Blister 1,5 euro 2024 Proof Aesop’s Fables – The hare and the tortoise
Blister, nordic gold 1.5 euro proof coin, for the Aesop's Fables - The hare and the tortoise, maximum number of pieces 3,500, Bank of Greece mint, issued in 2024.
In this fable, perhaps Aesop’s best known, a hare kept mocking a tortoise for being slow. One day the tortoise, tired of the hare showing off, challenged him to a race and the hare accepted. The tortoise set off, moving slowly but steadily. The hare soon left the tortoise behind and, confident of winning, took a nap midway through the race. When he awoke, however, he found that his competitor, crawling slowly but steadily, had arrived before him. The fable’s moral is that diligence and perseverance can trump talent when it fails to work hard.
| Issuer | Greece |
|---|---|
| Ruling authority | Third Hellenic Republic (1974-date) |
| Type | Non-circulating coins |
| Year | 2024 |
| Value | 1.5 Euros (3⁄2 EUR) |
| Currency | Euro (2002-date) |
| Composition | Nordic gold (CuZn5Al5Sn1) |
| Weight | 21.9 g |
| Diameter | 40 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Technique | Coloured, Milled |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |