Coin | Gold Ounce 2023 Gods of Olympus - Ares |
---|
|
The Tuvaluan Dollar is the currency of Tuvalu - a small nation in the Pacific Ocean. Tuvalu has never had banknotes of its own, and has been issuing coins since 1976; these circulate together with coins of the Australian Dollar, which is also legal tender in the country, and to which the Tuvaluan Dollar is pegged.
The Australian Perth Mint issues a large variety of non-circulating legal tender coins under the authority of Tuvalu. Some of these are in the gold ounce format (abbreviated as 1 oz). Strictly speaking, they are not bullion as they are priced at a premium and are targeted at collectors who appreciate them for their artistic merit and collectable value and not just for their precious metal content.
This coin is part of the Gods of Olympus series of premium bullion coins by the Perth Mint, and is dedicated to 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. |
Mint | Perth Mint |
Mint Mark | Letter P |
Total Mintage |
100
|
|
Obverse | |
The obverse of the coin shows the crowned mature head of Queen Elizabeth II facing right (her effigy known as the "Fourth Portrait"). The Queen wears the "Girls of Great Britain and Ireland" diamond tiara, a wedding gift from Queen Mary (Her Majesty's grandmother) in 1947 - which she also has on the Machin and the Gottwald portraits.
In small letters below the head, the artist's initials IRB (for Ian Rank-Broadley).
Around the effigy is the monarch's legend, the date of issue and the value: QUEEN ELIZABETH II 1oz 9999 GOLD 2023 TUVALU 100 DOLLARS.
The inscription around the rim also incorporates the precious metal content: one troy ounce of 99.99% gold.
Below the portrait are the dates of the Queen's reign, 1952 - 2022.
The portrait of the Queen has a mirror finish; the rest of the surface is frosted. |
|
|
Reverse | |
The reverse of the coin depicts Ares in the midst of a battle wearing full body armour, holding a spear and shield.
Around below, the inscription ARES. The Perth Mint's P mint mark is on the right. The designer's initials JM, for Jennifer McKenna, are below left.
The figure of the god and the inscription have a mirror finish; the rest of the surface is frosted. |
|
|
Edge | Milled | Edge Inscription | None |
|
Notes | Gold Content (Troy oz): 1.000 Finish: Brilliant Uncirculated, frosted surfaces. Packaging: in capsule, with a numbered Certificate of Authenticity by LPM (exclusive distributor). Release date: July 2023. Release price: US$ 2,476.40
The coin was issued during the reign of King Charles III; however, as there was no portrait of the king approved for use in Tuvalu yet, the obverse of the coin portrays a "Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Obverse" with the dates of her reign - "1952 - 2022". |
---|
|
See also |
Coins in the Gods and Goddesses of Olympus series include (ordered by design / metal / size / year): - 1 oz Gold, Zeus, Tuvalu 2021 - 5 oz Silver (with Antique version), Zeus, Tuvalu 2021 - 2 oz Silver Antique, Zeus, Tuvalu 2014 - 2 oz Silver Antique, Zeus, Cook Islands 2017 - 1 oz Silver Bullion (with Antique version), Zeus, Tuvalu 2020 - 1 oz Gold, Poseidon, Tuvalu 2021 - 5 oz Silver (with Antique version), Poseidon, Tuvalu 2021 - 2 oz Silver Antique, Poseidon, Tuvalu 2014 - 2 oz Silver Antique, Poseidon, Cook Islands 2017 - 1 oz Silver Bullion (with Antique version), Poseidon, Tuvalu 2021 - 1 oz Gold, Hades, Tuvalu 2021 - 5 oz Silver (with Antique version), Hades, Tuvalu 2021 - 2 oz Silver Antique, Hades, Tuvalu 2014 - 1 oz Silver Bullion (with Antique version), Hades, Tuvalu 2021 - 1 oz Gold, Ares, Tuvalu 2023 - 5 oz Silver (with Antique version), Ares, Tuvalu 2023 - 2 oz Silver Antique, Ares, Cook Islands 2017 - 1 oz Silver Bullion (with Antique version), Ares, Tuvalu 2023 - 1 oz Gold, Apollo, Tuvalu 2023 - 2 oz Silver Antique, Apollo, Cook Islands 2017 - 1 oz Silver, Apollo, Tuvalu 2023 - 2 oz Silver Antique, Hephaestus, Cook Islands 2017 - 2 oz Silver Antique, Hermes, Cook Islands 2017 - 1 oz Gold, Hera, Tuvalu 2022 - 5 oz Silver (with Antique version), Hera, Tuvalu 2022 - 2 oz Silver Antique, Hera, Tuvalu 2015 - 2 oz Silver Antique, Hera, Cook Islands 2017 - 1 oz Silver Bullion (with Antique version), Hera, Tuvalu 2022 - 1 oz Gold, Athena, Tuvalu 2022 - 5 oz Silver (with Antique version), Athena, Tuvalu 2022 - 2 oz Silver Antique, Athena, Cook Islands 2017 - 2 oz Silver Antique, Athena, Tuvalu 2015 - 1 oz Silver Bullion (with Antique version), Athena, Tuvalu 2022 - 1 oz Gold, Aphrodite, Tuvalu 2022 - 5 oz Silver (with Antique version), Aphrodite, Tuvalu 2022 - 2 oz Silver Antique, Aphrodite, Tuvalu 2015 - 2 oz Silver Antique, Aphrodite, Cook Islands 2017 - 1 oz Silver Bullion (with Antique version), Aphrodite, Tuvalu 2022 - 2 oz Silver Antique, Demeter, Cook Islands 2017 - 1 oz Gold, Artemis, Tuvalu 2023 - 5 oz Silver (with Antique version), Artemis, Tuvalu 2023 - 2 oz Silver Antique, Artemis, Cook Islands 2017 - 2 oz Silver Antique, Hestia, Cook Islands 2017 - 1 oz Silver (with Antique version), Artemis, Tuvalu 2023
|
---|
|