The classical Greek city-state of Sparta was admired at once for its intricate oligarchic political constitution, its unique education system focused on producing the most disciplined hoplite soldiers possible, and its achievements on the battlefield. Even if its armies were not quite as invincible as myth made them out to be, they nevertheless were a dominant presence in the Greek World for centuries, particularly in the wake of the city’s conflicts with the Persians and the Athenians. The city’s assurance in its own mythic destiny helped it to preserve the history of its martial achievements even after its power had faded and the Roman Empire engulfed it, and its stories live on to be commemorated by the 2023 Proof Cook Islands Sparta 1 oz Silver Coin.

Highlights:

• Comes in an original mint capsule with a Certificate of Authenticity!
• Issued in 2023!
• Limited mintage of just 1,500 coins!
• Contains 1 oz of .9999 pure silver.
• Legal tender of the Cook Islands with a face value of $5 (NZD).
• Obverse side features Helen of Troy beneath an effigy of the late monarch Queen Elizabeth II.
• Reverse side shows Spartan hoplites alongside a modern portrait of Helen.

The 2023 Silver Proof Cook Islands Sparta Coin features detailed engraved artwork of hoplites and other ancient Greek artistic motifs, offset beautifully against the mirror-like finish of a proof-quality coin. It ships in an original mint capsule along with a Certificate of Authenticity.

Obverse

The obverse side features a replica of the classical artwork “Helen Returning in a Quadriga,” a tale of Spartan exploits in the Trojan War. Above this, the late British monarch Elizabeth II appears in effigy, surrounded by the inscriptions “Elizabeth II,” “5 Dollars,” “Cook Islands” and “2023.”

Reverse

The coin’s reverse side shows a group of Spartan hoplites alongside a modernized portrait of Helen of Troy, with abstract decorative motifs and fortifications in the background. This design is accompanied by the inscription “Sparta.”

History

Sparta was a city-state supremely confident in its institutions, its army, and its place in the ancient world. Much of this confidence was rooted in its mythic narrative about ancestors that went all the way back to a hero sprung from the seed of Zeus, King of the Gods. The city also laid claim to great deeds during the mythic Trojan War, specifically to the rescue of the Greek princess Helen — who originally hailed from Sparta — from the grasp of the Trojans. That myth plays out in the artwork seen on this precious silver collectible, the kind of tale that later generations of its leaders cannily preserved for future generations.

Ordering

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