1963 Olympic Commemorative

The 1963 Olympic Commemorative from Greece features a design lifted straight from an ancient Greek statue of a discus thrower, a direct homage to the games' revival without any modern frills.

That statue, the Discobolus, was recreated on the coin's obverse in high relief, making it one of the few modern issues that actually echo classical art techniques. The coin itself was struck in silver by the Greek mint, with a diameter of 39 millimeters and a weight of 28.28 grams. We know it was issued to celebrate athletic events in Athens that year, though exact distribution figures remain murky—records from that era are spotty at best.

One oddity: the reverse shows a simple olive branch, perhaps implying peace, but it looks more like a twig someone forgot to carve properly. As for myths, I've heard tales that these coins were handed out to athletes, but that's nonsense; they were sold to the public like any other souvenir.