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Everyone knows the myth of Prometheus, that is why no need to describe a detailed iconography. I will focus on the composition itself. Compared to rather static and classic compositions of modern collector coins, I prefer to surprise with dynamic composition and unusual perspective. Like in comic book art.

There are two versions of the myth of Prometheus. According to one of them, a vulture pecked Prometheus’s liver every day at sunrise. According to the other myth, it was an eagle (perhaps Ethon—the great Caucasian eagle), not a vulture… Finally, I chose the eagle because of its popularity in painted and sculpted artworks of Western European art.

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The “Minotaur” is following the “Trojan Horse” coin in the Ancient Myths series.

On the reverse: the clumsy creature with the head of a bull, runs towards Theseus. In his right hand he holds the labrys (a double-bitted Minoan ax), while in the left — a chain of the flail with a huge spike ball. Under his feet there are a lot of skulls, skeletons and remains of weapons of his victims. Theseus defends himself with a magic sword. At his hip hangs a ball of thread. He got the thread from Ariadne, so that he could find his way out of the Labyrinth. In the background we see the walls of the Labyrinth with many traces of fighting. Minos, the king of Crete is looking at the whole scene from the terrace of his palace at Knossos. Minos had Daedalus construct a gigantic labyrinth to hold the Minotaur.

On the obverse: an ancient Greek soldier keeps the entrance to the Labyrinth. Two crossed labryses hang on the right column (the word labyrinthos comes from the word labrys in Lydian language). King Minos kept them to defend himself from Minotaur. On the lintel of the entrance we see the Greek word λαβύρινθος and on top of the building a famous sculpture of Antonio Canova: Theseus stomping the vanquished Minotaur. It’s a kind of artistic counterpoint, similar to the Laocoön Group on the “Trojan Horse” coin. An outline of the scene of Theseus fighting with Minotaur was engraved on a vase with spears, near the right column of the obverse.

About this coin:

“It’s always a pleasure to get an exclusive look at a new coin and when it was as outstanding as last years Trojan Horse coin, it’s a real treat.”: AgAuNews
“Love the design”: SilverStackers Forum

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None of the coins I created before had gave me so much pleasure in design. The Trojan Horse project began in 2014.

Reverse: Greek warriors creeping out of the huge wooden horse in the city of Troy. On the left of the coin there is a famous statue called Laocoön Group. Laocoön was killed with both his sons  by the snake of Poseidon, after attempting to expose the ruse of the Trojan Horse. The deaths were interpreted by the Trojans as proof that the horse was a sacred object.

Obverse: Greek ships sailing to invade Troy.

See next coin in this series: Minotaur

Quotations:

“Superb new Trojan Horse”: AgAuNews
“Can’t wait to see the next coins of this series”: Silvers Stracker Forum