Tuvalu 2013 Dragons of Legend Three Headed Hydra $1 1 Oz Pure Silver Proof OGP

Description: In Stock and Ready for Immediate Shipment!Long SOLD OUT at the Perth Mint! Fourth in this unbelievably popular series! Hercules slays the evil Hydra (or Bulgarian Three-Headed Dragon) on this Dragons of Legend pure silver dollar, in full color! Talisman Coins and the Perth Mint are excited to announce the fourth release in the exciting new Dragons of Legend Series, the Hydra or Bulgarian Three-Headed Dragon! These legendary creatures have captivated mankind's imagination since prehistory, with the origins of the Dragon lost in the mists of time. Certainly, they were known to the ancients - Greeks, Romans, Jews and Chinese all had their versions, and of course it was a dragon the finally slew Beowulf, the hero of Germanic myth. The Dragons of Legend were designed by renowned fine artist and illustrator Howard David Johnson, in the realistic style for which he is famed the world over! Between the extremely popular dragon motif, beautiful design and mintage limit, heed our advice—get one (or more) of these colorful, one ounce, pure silver dollars while you can! Hercules and the Hydra In Greek mythology, the Lernaean Hydra was an ancient, nameless serpent-like chthonic water beast, with reptilian traits, (as its name evinces) that possessed many heads ( for each head cut off it grew two more) and poisonous breath so virulent even its tracks were deadly. The Hydra of Lerna was killed by Hercules (Greek Heracles) as the second of his Twelve Labors. After slaying the Nemean lion, Eurystheus sent Hercules to slay the Hydra, which Hera had raised just to slay Heracles. Upon reaching the swamp near Lake Lerna, where the Hydra dwelt, Hercules covered his mouth and nose with a cloth to protect himself from the poisonous fumes. He fired flaming arrows into the Hydra's lair, a deep cave that it only came out of to terrorize neighboring villages. He then confronted the Hydra, wielding a harvesting sickle (according to some early vase-paintings), a sword or his famed club. Upon cutting off each of its heads he found that two grew back, an expression of the hopelessness of such a struggle for any but the hero. The weakness of the Hydra was that it was invulnerable only if it retained at least one head. Realizing that he could not defeat the Hydra in this way, Hercules called on his nephew Iolaus for help. His nephew then came upon the idea (possibly inspired by Athena) of using a firebrand to scorch the neck stumps after each decapitation. Hercules cut off each head and Iolaus cauterized the open stumps. Seeing that Hercules was winning the struggle, Hera sent a large crab to distract him. He crushed it under his mighty foot. The Hydra's one immortal head was cut off with a golden sword given to Hercules by Athena. Hercules dipped his arrows in the Hydra's poisonous blood, and so his second task was complete. Hera, upset that Hercules slew the beast she raised to kill him, placed it in the dark blue vault of the sky as the Constellation Hydra. She then turned the crab into the Constellation Cancer. Eastern European Dragons Dragons in Russia, Poland, Bulgaria and other Eastern European legends bear great similarity to the ancient Greek Hydra. In Russia and Ukraine, a particular dragon-like creature, Zmey Gorynych, has three heads, is green, walks on two back paws, has small front paws, and spits fire. According to one epic poem, Zmey Gorynych was killed by the heroic warrior Dobrynya Nikitich. Other Russian dragons (such as Tugarin Zmeyevich) have Turkic names, probably symbolizing the Mongols and other Oriental steppe peoples. Accordingly, St. George (symbolizing Christianity) killing the Dragon (symbolizing Satan and the invading hordes) is represented on the coat of arms of Moscow. In Slovenia, a dragon is called zmaj, although an archaic word of unclear origins, pozoj, is sometimes used as well. Dragons in Slovenia are generally evil in nature, and usually appear in relation with St. George. Other, presumably pre-Christian, folk tales relate stories of dragons defeated similarly (such as the Polish Wawel Dragon), by feeding them sulfur stuffed sheep. However, the dragon is not always harmful to humans. The best example of a good dragon is the Ljubljana Dragon, who benevolently protects the city of Ljubljana and is pictured in the city's coat of arms. The Hydra or Bulgarian Three-Headed Dragon Silver Dollar is the fourth in the new and exciting Dragons of Legend Series, to be released by the Perth Mint. Technology Note The Perth Mint of Australia employs its own proprietary colorization technology, in which the color is actually sealed on the coin. The vibrant hues and precise execution of the technology create a stunning, full-color portrait on each coin. Obverse A full color portrait of a Bulgarian Three-Headed Dragon (also known as a hydra), set against a dramatic, fantastical landscape. The legends DRAGONS OF LEGEND and THREE-HEADED DRAGON denote the theme, while the legend 1 OZ 999 SILVER guarantees the weight and purity. Reverse A frosted cameo portrait of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, in crowned profile facing right. This portrait, featuring Her Majesty wearing a tiara and pearl earrings, was executed by the sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley. The legend QUEEN ELIZABETH II and denomination also appear. Packaging The coin is encapsulated inside a black leatherette, clamshell-style presentation case, lined with black velvet and satin, and protected by a full-color outer box. An individually-numbered certificate of authenticity is included. Specifications Country Tuvalu Mint Perth Mint of Australia Year of Issue 2013 Face Value One Dollar Weight 31.135 g Diameter 40.60 mm Gauge (Thickness) 4.00 mm Mintage Limit 5,000 Finish Proof with Color Composition .999 Fine (Pure) Silver Edge Reeded (milled, serrated) Artist Howard David Johnson (obverse) Ian Rank-Broadley (reverse) Certificate Individually Numbered The Island Nation of Tuvalu Tuvalu, formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbors are Kiribati, Samoa and Fiji. It is comprised of four reef islands and five true atolls. Its population of 11,992 makes it the third-least populated independent country in the world, with only Vatican City and Nauru having fewer inhabitants. It is also the second-smallest member by population of the United Nations. In terms of physical land size, at just 10 square miles Tuvalu is the fourth smallest country in the world, larger only than the Vatican City, Monaco and Nauru. The first inhabitants of Tuvalu were Polynesian people, who arrived about 3000 years go. The islands came under Great Britain's sphere of influence in the late 19th century. The Ellice Islands were administered by Britain as part of a protectorate from 1892 to 1916 and as part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony from 1916 to 1974. In 1974 the Ellice Islanders voted for separate British dependency status as Tuvalu, separating from the Gilbert Islands which became Kiribati upon independence. Tuvalu became fully independent within The Commonwealth in 1978. with Queen Elizabeth II as titular head of state. Because Tuvalu has few natural resources it has been dependent in recent years upon aid from larger, more developed nations, including Australia, New Zealand and the United States. The Perth Mint of Australia is officially commissioned by the government of Tuvalu to produce legal tender coinage for the island nation. Copyright © 2024 Talisman World Coins and Medals. All Rights Reserved.

Price: 89.85 USD

Location: Saint Louis, Missouri

End Time: 2024-10-19T23:39:53.000Z

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