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Coin Jewelry :
Archive : Greek Silver Stater of Rhodes
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Greek Silver Stater of Rhodes - FJ.6618
Origin: Asia Minor
Circa: 4
th
Century BC
to 3
rd
Century BC
Collection: Coin Jewelry
Style: Greek
Medium: Silver, Gold
$4,300.00
Location: United States
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| Description |
This Ancient Coin Has Been Set in a Modern 18
Karat Gold Ring
The island nation of Rhodes was an immensely
successful commercial power of the Aegean.
They strategically sided with Athens but, when in
jeopardy, negotiated favorable surrenders to
Sparta, Alexander the Great, and Demetrios
Poliorketes, allowing them to sustain at least
some degree of independence based on
neutrality. Rhodes was named for the rose,
depicted on the reverse of this coin. A portrait of
Helios, the sun god, wearing a crown of rays
graces the obverse. This image was based upon
the head of the great statue of Helios, better
known as the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the
Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The
Colossus memorialized the war with Demetrios
Poliorketes. He unsuccessfully attacked the city
for over a year, around 305-304 B.C. Eventually,
a settlement was negotiated and Poliorketes
abandoned his siege towers constructed from
valuable timbers that the Rhodeans in turn sold
off for shipbuilding. The proceeds from this sale
were invested in the huge (105 ft.) bronze statue
of Helios standing at the entrance of the harbor.
While the famous statue served as a reminder of
the city's fortitude during the siege and became
a tourist attraction, it only stood until 227 B.C.
when it was toppled by an earthquake.
The splendor of the precious metals is allowed to
shine in this ring. The natural hues of the silver
and the gold perfectly complement each other.
In this ring, the present and the past combine.
The classic form of the modern ring, engraved on
the sides with a decorative palmette motif,
enhances and elegantly displays the timeless
majesty of this ancient coin. To wear this ring is
to reconnect with the past, all the while
demonstrating a style that is contemporary and
yet timeless.
- (FJ.6618)
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