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Athens - 2004. Greco-Roman Wrestling

Athens - 2004. Greco-Roman Wrestling Athens - 2004. Greco-Roman Wrestling
Type: Silver coin
Material: Silver 925°
Issuance Date: 2003
Month: February
Nominal Value: 1 Ls
Maximum Mintage: 26 000
Quality: Proof
Weight (g): 31.47
Diameter (mm): 38.61
Graphic design: Dainis Pundurs
Plaster model: Ligita Franckevica-Ulmane
Minted: Rahapaja Oy (Finland)



Sale

Seller Price
Vladimir 90.00  [63.25 Ls] new Collector's cabinet
Surinami 40.00  [28.11 Ls] new Collector's cabinet
Proof 85.00  [59.74 Ls] new Collector's cabinet
Proof 40.00  [28.11 Ls] new Collector's cabinet
Derivats 93.00  [65.36 Ls] Collector's cabinet
Vadim 55.00  [38.65 Ls] old Collector's cabinet
Felix 85.00  [59.74 Ls] Collector's cabinet
Latviancoins 150.00  [105.42 Ls] Go to site
ANTIKWAR999 177.00  [124.40 Ls] old Collector's cabinet


Buying

Buyer Price
baltcoin.lv 50.00 €  [35.14 Ls] new Collector's cabinet
Vladimir 50.00 €  [35.14 Ls] new Collector's cabinet
Ivars 55.00 €  [38.65 Ls] Collector's cabinet
Gintis 0.00 €  [0.00 Ls] old Collector's cabinet
Kalvis 55.00 €  [38.65 Ls] old Collector's cabinet
Eurogold 38.00 €  [26.71 Ls] Collector's cabinet
22446402 50.00 €  [35.14 Ls] old Collector's cabinet
Aigars 52.00 €  [36.55 Ls] old Collector's cabinet
Jevgeny 25.00 €  [17.57 Ls] old Collector's cabinet
ANTIKWAR999 55.00 €  [38.65 Ls] old Collector's cabinet
Dainis 50.00 €  [35.14 Ls] old Collector's cabinet

Obverse

The large coat of arms of the Republic of Latvia, with the year 2002 inscribed beneath, is placed in the centre. The inscription LATVIJAS REPUBLIKA, arranged in a semicircle, is above the central motif. The inscription LATS, topped with the numeral 1, are placed beneath the central motif.

Reverse

A motif of wrestling from an ancient Greek relief is featured in the centre. The inscription OLIMPISKAS SPELES ATENAS 2004 (Olympic Games Athens 2004), arranged in a semi-circle, is placed beneath the central motif.

Edge

Two inscriptions LATVIJAS BANKA, separated by rhomb-shaped dots.

In ancient Greece, athletes who had become champions of the Olympic Games donated their own sculptural likenesses to the famous Olympia and the temples of their native town to show gratitude to the gods for the victories bestowed upon them. According to the artistic principles of ancient Greeks, these sculptures were generalized images approaching their ideals of beauty.

The Bank of Latvia dedicates the silver coin, issued in honour of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, to Greco-Roman wrestling. It is a tribute to the place of birth of the Olympic Games, the long history of the Games and one of the oldest types of wrestling that has survived through times past until this day. By constant improvement of wrestling rules, plain fighting has developed into a manly trial of strength, deftness and stamina. The coin is also meant to commemorate the Latvian sportsmen who were once celebrated for their achievements in Greco-Roman wrestling.

The first Latvian athletes to participate in the Olympic Games were Janis Polis (heavyweight) and Aleksandrs Priede (featherweight), who represented a Russian team in Stockholm in 1912. Soon after World War I, however, Rudolfs Ronis won fame for himself and his own country, the independent Republic of Latvia: in the 1921 World Championship in Helsinki he took the second place in the lightweight category.

In the 1924 Paris Olympic Games, Latvians participated in all six weight categories. As Latvian athletes were well known, Latvia was repeatedly asked to organize international championships. Wrestling took place in the Salamonsky Circus ring in Riga, and representatives from more than ten European states used to participate in the event.

In the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, the best results were achieved by Edvins Bietags, who won the Olympic silver medal in welterweight, after having taken the first place in the 1934 European Championship in Rome, and Krisjanis Kundzins (fifth place in featherweight).

The middleweight Janis Kavals (third place in Prague, 1931), heavyweight Alberts Zvejnieks (third place in Rome, 1934, and in Copenhagen, 1935) and middleweight Georgs Ozolins (second place in Oslo, 1939) also ranked among the strongest athletes of Europe.

After World War II, Latvian athletes represented the USSR team. The best results were achieved by Imants Klintsons who became the USSR champion on three occasions (in 1971, 1973 and 1974). Viktors Kuzmins won the silver medal in the Ludwigshafen European Championship in 1975.

Nowadays many other kinds of sport are far more popular in Latvia, as well as in other countries. Is it a temporary trend, prompted by the times? Viktors Kuzmins, senior coach of the Latvian team, hopes to prepare at least someone among the younger Greco-Roman wrestlers who could participate in the Olympic Games.

With the basic motif of an ancient Greek relief, Dainis Pundurs brings back forms and ideas that seemed to be long forgotten. Confidence in human power and the beauty of honest competition has survived until this day and age, and the coin dedicated to the Athens Olympic Games confirms it once again.
За период с 2012-12-29 по 2024-01-22 монета подорожала на 5%

Recent changes

[2024.01.22]   Rns: Coin Athens - 2004. Greco-Roman Wrestling taken out of sale
[2023.12.13]   Rns: On sale coin Athens - 2004. Greco-Roman Wrestling with price 65.00
[2023.12.11]   Rns: Coin Athens - 2004. Greco-Roman Wrestling taken out of sale
[2023.08.03]   Rns: On sale coin Athens - 2004. Greco-Roman Wrestling with price 65.00
[2023.08.01]   Rns: Coin Athens - 2004. Greco-Roman Wrestling taken out of sale
[2023.06.20]   Rns: Selling price of the coin Athens - 2004. Greco-Roman Wrestling changed from 60.00 € to 65.00
[2023.05.30]   Rns: On sale coin Athens - 2004. Greco-Roman Wrestling with price 60.00
[2023.05.28]   Rns: Coin Athens - 2004. Greco-Roman Wrestling taken out of sale
[2023.05.09]   Rns: On sale coin Athens - 2004. Greco-Roman Wrestling with price 60.00
[2023.05.01]   Rns: Coin Athens - 2004. Greco-Roman Wrestling taken out of sale