Obverse: Dionysus Reclining on the Back of a
Donkey
Reverse: A Grape Vine with Four Grape Clusters
An ancient colony of Eretria, Mende and was
situated in Pallene in the Chalkidian district of
Macedonia. This coastal city served as the
seaport for the larger city of Cassandrea. The
god Dionysos was particularly revered by the
inhabitants and was depicted on the town's
coinage, and was related to Mende's primary
crop, the vine, from which she produced her
famous wines that were frequently noted by
ancient authors.
How many hands have touched a coin in your
pocket or your purse? What eras and lands have
the coin traversed on its journey into our
possession? As we reach into our pockets to pull
out some change, we rarely hesitate to think of
who touched the coin before us, or where the
coin will venture to after us. More than money,
coins are a symbol of the state that struck them,
of a specific time and place, whether
contemporary currencies or artifacts of long
forgotten empires. This stunning hand-struck
coin reveals an expertise of craftsmanship and
intricate sculptural detail that is often lacking in
contemporary machine-made currencies. This
coin is a memorial an ancient city passed from
the hands of civilization to civilization, from
generation to generation that still appears as
vibrant today as the day it was struck.
- (C.2013)
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