Silver Two Ounces 2017 Gods of Olympus - Ares, Coin from Cook Islands - detailed information

The Cook Islands, a sovereign state in free association with New Zealand, uses two official legal tender currencies. The New Zealand Dollar circulates in parallel with the local Cook Islands Dollar; at the same time, the government also authorises many legal tender coins in the Cook Islands Dollar currency for collector's purposes.

Collector coins are dedicated to historical or general popular culture themes not related to the country itself. Many of them are in standard bullion sizes, including the large two ounces of silver format - such as this coin.

This coin is part of a twelve-coin set issued as a sort of continuation of the Perth Mints Gods of Olympus series issued in 2014 (featuring Zeus, Poseidon and Hades), followed by the Goddesses of Olympus series issued in 2015 (Hera, Athena and Aphrodite); these were both issued under the authority of Tuvalu, but the continuation was issued for the Cook Islands.

The coin depicts Ares (Ancient Greek: Ἄρης), the Greek god of courage and war. He was one of the Twelve Olympians, and the son of Zeus and Hera. The Greeks were ambivalent toward him. He embodies the physical valour necessary for success in war but can also personify sheer brutality and blood lust, in contrast to his sister, the armoured Athena, whose martial functions include military strategy and generalship. The counterpart of Ares in Roman mythology was Mars.

The coin has antique finish and a rimless design (which extends to the edge without a border).