The Numismatic Museum in Athens

SYRACUSIAN

As I’m fast approaching my 20 years at the Darkside, my only true social media activity, I thought of resurrecting this thread instead of touching threads created by other members who visited it, in a trip from the US or elsewhere. Here’s my version, the first part posted in 2013 and it’s second now, in October 2022.


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Lately, there's been a lot of advertising on commercial TV about Athens' Numismatic Museum, in a sublime neoclassical building in the most central of Athens’ streets and a great building, ex residence of Heinrich Schliemann. I found the whole project rather unusual for Greek standards , so I thought of sharing that tv spot with you.


Discover the Numismatic museum (in Greek with English subtitles)

Its collection runs from the ancient times to classic 19th century rarities.

Click on the YouTube video,
it is better made than mines that I do not know how to upload them anyway.

This is a 9 year old thread. 😯

SmEagle1795

Very cool! They have a great website as well, with 3D interactive views of some of their coins. Numismatic Museum Athens

Zohar

Very well done. That must be a great way to spend a day (or a few). Thanks for sharing.

OldEastside

Steve

Stork

(boy I haven't used that cool sign in awhile).

I wish we'd gotten to Greece while we were in Europe, but things never worked out


Cathy

SYRACUSIAN

I should have added that the Numismatic Museum, is perhaps a place that targets not only collectors and in general people that like coins, but architecturally speaking, or as a landmark,
it enjoys a great location, very near the famous "trilogy" in the center of Athens, 3 neoclassical buildings built in the mid-late 19th century and never touched since.A lot of people come for a light meal in its garden informal restaurant, without setting foot inside.

In general, Panepistimiou street is a delight for those who appreciate great early 19th neoclassical architecture. As it is my profession, I'm fiercely against building this style today: pastiche copies of the past, because the modern is always difficult to digest. Nevertheless, just as we enjoy these buildings now, one has to remember that in a 100 years from today, people will be asking themselves, "what has this generation left us?". I can tell you from personal experience that it is a very tough exercise for every architect to convince his client about the virtues of modernity. Look at the furniture that we consider modern today: they have all been designed in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, wether it's Bauhaus or Finnish wooden furniture.

But I do not want to distract you from the main subject of this thread. All I wanted to add, is that Panepistimiou street is truly a great street to walk and observe its buildings that have been built between mid 19th century and early 20th. The rest of the street, is full of historic buildings that have been renovated, including the Bank of Greece, and some have seen extremely successful modern additions to them. It is undoubtedly, the best preserved street in Athens and the one that hasn't been caught up in the mania of destroying and building monstrosities of the 50s and 60s. For more info, you can google it, it's certainly worth a look, or a walk if you ever visit these parts of Southern Europe.






The National Library, the University and the Academy of Athens with its impressive twin staircases on both sides.





The Academy of Athens , virtually adjacent to the Numismatic museum a stone’s throw away.



And the original building of the University of Athens, still functioning fully today, but with a lot of extensions all over the city.




Here you can take out the future lawyers if you’re that kind of type. But what would we do without lawyers’ jokes, not to mention how much we adore being a litigation society in Greece. 🤫





This thread is getting resurrected nine years since it’s creation.

Zohar

Thanks for the background and professional architectural perspective. I missed this street when visiting Athens when I was younger. Unfortunately did not focus on history but rather getting to the beautiful islands. Next time I promise !

SYRACUSIAN

<< <i>Thanks for the background and professional architectural perspective. I missed this street when visiting Athens when I was younger. Unfortunately did not focus on history but rather getting to the beautiful islands. Next time I promise ! >>




Next time, I'll be waiting for you with a sign at the airport, will be your driver/guide/cook and contact for every illegal substance or place that you want, and I'll send you the bill the last day.

Zohar

Oh my - now that is tempting

SYRACUSIAN

Picking up on an old thread, Athens’numismatic museum.

I go to that sanctuary whenever I feel pressured by the business ,or my 12 year old daughter, her London born and bred mother with whom we’re separated ,or anything that disturbs my day in a severe way, or is an accumulation of various factors that can’t wait till Thursday mornings to do the long form in a park and let it go, feel better.

SYRACUSIAN

I must have went 2-3 times this past year. Located at the heart of Athens, on Panepistimiou street, one of 3 parallel avenues connecting Syntagma (constitution square) to Omonoia square, next to the architectural trilogy of Athens , library, university and academy of Athens’ that is from the 19th century in 3 diffentbfine styles of neoclassicism, that really found the best ground to develop, it’s own roots.

Imaged on the first part of this thread already.

I go there to shut the outside world out, relax and feed both architectural (the light!) and numismatic passions of mine. Breathing in its back garden. An absolutely essential break from everyday’s madness if I can, and just enjoy the moment.

SYRACUSIAN

It also has a great little informal restaurant, outside, or to have a coffee, in its gardens.

Unique Greek 5 drachmai 1846 in this blurry picture (146).I told that to a young employee, who responded, oh it is by no means unique, we have a few ones like it and he showed me different and common dates of this crown sized Otto design, displayed here with its reverse to note the 1846 date .😋

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The essential boutique with lots of exclusive to the NM material.

SYRACUSIAN

The maps show how global money evolved during the centuries, nicely presented in these maps with texts and the appropriate coins of the time. One can educate himself by himself if he becomes familiar with the content of the walls and panels. They used to rent earphones with a guide speaking to you, but no more lately unfortunately. I guess that they haven’t updated to some form of Bluetooth ones and with the virus and all.

SYRACUSIAN

Monks in the water. On their way to a nearby island, cove, also called Monachos in Greek (= monk). A friend loves these funny tricks and he gave them his boat I think.

A clear candidate for photo of the year personal award.

SYRACUSIAN

On a final note, my fast approaching 20 years at the Darkside, started from a sale I did on ebay. In one of my very frequent then trips to London, I bought a bunch of proof half sovereigns from SPINK in one visit, and along with a terrific 1893 65 CAM but there were no CAM designations on world coins from Mike Steinberg in Florida, then I passed by Steve Fenton.s shop where I got the 1902 proof half sovereign, to complete a 5 year coronation set proof half sovereigns, from 1893 to 1937.

I sold the 1902 that graded PR62 matte, by Fenton as a PCGS dealer, who submitted the lot (all the others got a PR64) ,the one of three rep dealers for our hosts back then in Europe. I’d pass every month to piss him off and asked if they’re back yet. 😜

I sold it to cosmicdebris who drove me here. 👀

I first saw the London coin world 23-24 years ago. Before S. Fenton got involved with the $20 Farouk and got away with 4 mil instead of £750K or whatever he hand in mind when the FBI raided the room of Waldorf Astoria, and before he.bought Baldwin’s, another favorite spot on the Thames river, where I’d meet my favorite and legendary dealer Dimitri Loulakakis, who worked there after his Chelsea coins and an independent dealer, intellectual, knowledgeable, naughty and his mind always on the feminine presence or lack of. His 1979 SPINK sale of a complete as possible Greek mint state high end collection ever sold in public still stands at number one. I’d also meet Andy eventually there too!

SYRACUSIAN

TwoKopeiki

@SYRACUSIAN said:

A 1828 silver Phoenix, the first modern Greek silver coin, to be auctioned soon by Heritage. It is a PCGS MS63+, definitely high end choice BU, but not a 64, just a very nice TrueView is though enough to send its price skyrocketing for the grade.

I’ve previously owned an MS63, imaged here by Phil in 2004

Seems to me that you've owned that particular MS63 before, as images show the same coin photographed using different types of lighting techniques.

SYRACUSIAN

Roman, I don’t think that it’s the same coin, unless some spots of darker patina on mine, have been successfully cleaned in the upcoming one ,, on the perimeter mostly, though I haven’t seen it in hand, have I? I should look into it. I only sold it for $3K 15 years ago! 🙄

I’ve derailed my own thread. 😂

It is the museum ,its space and its contents the title. 😋

SYRACUSIAN

This is one nice staircase to go from ancients to medieval and modern.

coinkat

Great thread-excellent pictures with an insightful write up... especially the architecture commentary

Bailathacl

Athens just moved up to the top tier of places that I must visit soon. Thanks for all of that content Dimitri, very informative and appreciated. And congratulations on your 20-year tenure here.