Silver Five Ounces 2021 Gods of Olympus - Hades, Coin from Tuvalu - detailed information

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 silver five-ounce format (abbreviated as 5 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, which started in 2014 and then continued in 2020. This issues is dedicated to Hades, who was worshipped as the God of the Underworld and the ruler of the dead in ancient Greek mythology.

Historically, Hades was often depicted sitting on his ebony throne with Cerberus, the three-headed watchdog by his side. He was also known to wear a helmet of invisibility given to him by the Cyclops to help in the battle against the Titans. His name is said to mean "invisible" or "unseen" and the underworld which he ruled over was also called Hades.

Poseidon was one of six children and the second of three brothers - Zeus, Poseidon and Hades, born to Rhea and Cronus, the ruler of the Titans. Having overthrown their father, the three brothers divided the universe between them. Zeus took control of the heavens, Poseidon the sea, and Hades the underworld.