Owner Comments:
Palau Eternal Sculptures I
2019 – Leda & The Swan
This 2 Oz Silver Coin is the fourth issue of the new series “Eternal Sculptures.” This coin has two-sides Smartminting! This coin features marble effect, has unbelievable details on the high relief surface and a Black Proof quality.
Limited mintage to only 999 pcs worldwide.
Leda and the Swan is a story and subject in art from Greek mythology in which the god Zeus, in the form of a swan, seduces the mortal woman Leda. According to later Greek mythology, Leda bore Helen and Polydeuces, children of Zeus, while at the same time bearing Castor and Clytemnestra, children of her husband Tyndareus, the King of Sparta. In the W. B. Yeats version, it is subtly suggested that Clytemnestra, although being the daughter of Tyndareus, has somehow been traumatized by what the swan has done to her mother. According to many versions of the story, Zeus took the form of a swan and seduced Leda on the same night she slept with her husband King Tyndareus. In some versions, she laid two eggs from which the children hatched. In other versions, Helen is a daughter of Nemesis, the goddess who personified the disaster that awaited those suffering from the pride of Hubris.
The subject was rarely seen in the large-scale sculpture of antiquity, although a representation of Leda in sculpture has been attributed in modern times to Timotheus; small-scale sculptures survive showing both reclining and standing poses, in cameos and engraved gems, rings, and terracotta oil lamps. Recently, an ancient fresco depicting Leda and the Swan was found at the Pompeii archeological site in Italy. Thanks to the literary renditions of Ovid and Fulgentius it was a well-known myth through the Middle Ages, but emerged more prominently as a classicizing theme, with erotic overtones, in the Italian Renaissance.
The obverse of the coin reproduces the incredible front view of the famous sculpture, Leda and the Swan. An exceptional high relief and the use of a special paint to recreate the sculpture's natural marble look, emphasizes the extraordinary beauty of this piece of art in miniature. All around the obverse, a floral decorative pattern completes the coin. On the right side of the obverse, the wonderful logo of the series and the inscriptions: "ETERNAL SCULPTURES" - the name of the series and "LEDA AND THE SWAN" – the name of the coin. On the bottom of the obverse, the year of issue written in Roman numbers: "MMXIX" - 2019.
The reverse of the coin reproduces the back view of the sculpture, using the same finishes and marble effect. All around of the reverse, a beautiful decorative pattern. On the left side, the Coat of Arms of Palau and the inscriptions: "REPUBLIC OF PALAU" – the issuing country and "10 DOLLARS" – the face value.
Palau is an archipelago of over 500 islands, part of the Micronesia region in the western Pacific Ocean. Koror Island is home to the former capital, also named Koror, and is the islands’ commercial center. The larger Babeldaob has the present capital, Ngerulmud, plus mountains and sandy beaches on its east coast. In its north, ancient basalt monoliths known as Badrulchau lie in grassy fields surrounded by palm trees. ― Google
Capital: Ngerulmud
Official languages: Palauan, English
Continent: Oceania
Government: Republic, Unitary state, Representative democracy, Presidential system, Non-partisan democracy
Currency: United States Dollar
Population: 18,024 (2021) World Bank
Number of islands: 340 britannica.com
Photos taken with Nikon D3300 DSL Camera with attached AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm F3.5-5.6G lens. Adobe Photoshop Elements used to fix any digital artifacts.