2016-02-22 Mon

A circulating 2002 commemorative 2 Euros coin which features the legend of Zeus as a bull seducing Europa has a very interesting history behind it. A three century old silver drachm, issued in Gortyn on the island of Crete, is an example of an ancient coin depicting the ancient story and will be under the hammer at the Gorny & Mosch March 7th to 9th auction in Munich.

The obverse of the silver drachm from Crete shows the Greek god Zeus, wearing a laurel wreath, while the reverse shows Europa riding the bull.

The notable playboy god Zeus turned himself into a white bull to seduce the Phoenician maiden named Europa because of her beauty and grace. The young maiden, gathering flowers, began to caress him and then took a seat to ride the bull. Zeus abducted Europa, fleeing across the ocean to the island of Crete, where he revealed his true identity and forcibly impregnated her. Their child Minos, was enthroned as the king of Crete.

The earliest literary reference to the legend of Europa is in the Iliad, dated to the eighth century B.C. The silver drachm from Crete offered in the Gorny & Mosch auction is graded Extremely Fine by the auction firm. It has an estimate of about $2,724.