Silver Two Ounces 2017 Gods of Olympus - Artemis, 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 Artemis (Greek: Ἄρτεμις) - the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, nature, vegetation, childbirth, care of children, and chastity. She was heavily identified with Selene, the Moon, and Hecate, another moon goddess, and was thus regarded as one of the most prominent lunar deities in mythology, alongside the aforementioned two. She would often roam the forests of Greece, attended by her large entourage, mostly made up by nymphs, some mortals and hunters. The countryside goddess Diana is her Roman equivalent.

In Greek tradition, Artemis was the daughter of the sky god and king of gods Zeus and Leto, and the twin sister of Apollo. In most accounts, the twins are the products of an extramarital liaison. For this, Zeus' wife Hera forbade Leto from giving birth anywhere on land. Only the island of Delos gave refuge to Leto, allowing her to give birth to her children. Usually, Artemis is considered the twin to be born first, who then proceeds to assist Leto in the birth of the second child, Apollo. Like her brother, she was a child-nurturing deity, the patron and protector of young children, especially young girls, and women, and was believed to both bring disease upon women and children and relieve them of it. Artemis was worshipped as one of the primary goddesses of childbirth and midwifery along with Eileithyia and Hera. Much like Athena and Hestia, Artemis preferred to remain a maiden goddess and was sworn never to marry, and was thus one of the three Greek virgin goddesses, over whom the goddess of love and lust, Aphrodite, had no power whatsoever.

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