Obverse: Turtle Viewed from Above
Reverse: Large “Skew” Pattern Incuse
The island of Aegina is actually the peak of a
sunken mountain located almost in the center of
the Sardonic gulf in between the cities of
Epidauros and Athens. It is said that Aiakos, son
of Zeus and grandfather of Achilles and a nymph
named Aegina were the first to settle on the
island. Archaeological evidence shows that the
island has been inhabited from at least around
3000 B.C. The earliest inhabitants were traders
who flourished thanks to Aegina’s strategic
location and managed to amass quite a large
fortune. However, during a conflict between
their fellow Dorics and Athens, the island sided
with the Dorics. Athens naturally took this as an
excuse to invade and colonize Aegina. Yet, the
original inhabitants did not abandon the island
with out first leaving their mark: the spectacular
Temple of Aphaia constructed in the Doric style
during the 5th century B.C. Today, it is
considered to be among the finest preserved
Doric temples anywhere.
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 currency in
the age we live or an artifact of a long forgotten
empire. This stunning hand-struck coin reveals
an expertise of craftsmanship and intricate
sculptural detail that is often lacking in
contemporary machine-made currencies. This
magnificent coin is an artifact of an ancient
island nation passed from the hands of
civilization to civilization, from generation to
generation.
- (C.2080)
|
