Greece

2004

Commemorative coin

Olympic Games in Athens 2004

Official Journal of the European Union

The twelve stars of the European Union positioned around the outer circle surround the design of an ancient statue depicting a discobolus in his attempt to throw the discus. The base of the statue covers a small part of the coin's external ring (outer part). To the left is the logo of the Olympic Games ‘ATHENS 2004’ and the five Olympic circles, and to the right, one above the other, are the figure ‘2’ and the word ‘ΕΥΡΩ’. The yearmark is written in split form around the star positioned bottom centre, as follows: 20*04 and the mintmark is above the athlete's head to the left

Additional information

None of the bronze statues by one of the most important sculptors of Greek antiquity, Myron, is preserved, which were still being praised centuries after his death. However, in 1781 a Roman marble copy of the discus thrower created around 455 BC was found on the Esquiline. On the occasion of the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Panagiotis Gravalos depicted the discobolos on the first €2 commemorative coin. It does not bear the designation of the issuing state.

Edge lettering

Designer