Niue – 2022 – 5 Dollars – Jason and Chiron Argonauts

Description

The coin is stunning in high relief! It was struck from 2 ounces of pure silver, then oxidised to give it an antique finish. Selective gilding highlights the important role of Jason. The mintage is very limited with only 500 pieces. The coin is packaged in an elegant wooden box along with a certificate of authenticity.

The Argonauts were a band of heroes in Greek mythology, who in the years before the Trojan War accompanied Jason to Colchis in his quest to find the Golden Fleece. Their name comes from their ship, Argo, named after its builder, Argus. They were sometimes called Minyans, after a prehistoric tribe in the area.

Jason was an ancient Greek mythological hero and leader of the Argonauts, whose quest for the Golden Fleece featured in Greek literature. He was the son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcos. He was married to the sorceress Medea. He was also the great-grandson of the messenger god Hermes, through his mother’s side.

In Greek mythology, Chiron was held to be the superlative centaur amongst his brethren since he was called the “wisest and justest of all the centaurs”.