Obverse. Photo © NumisCorner.com
  • 2 Euro 2016, KM# 281, Greece, 150th Anniversary of the Arkadi Monastery Torching
  • 2 Euro 2016, KM# 281, Greece, 150th Anniversary of the Arkadi Monastery Torching
  • 2 Euro 2016, KM# 281, Greece, 150th Anniversary of the Arkadi Monastery Torching, Coincard
Description

The Arkadi Monastery is an Eastern Orthodox monastery, situated on a fertile plateau 23 km (14 mi) to the southeast of Rethymnon on the island of Crete in Greece. The Arkadi Monastery played an active role in the Cretan resistance of Ottoman rule during the Cretan revolt of 1866. 943 Greeks, mostly women and children, sought refuge in the monastery. After three days of battle and under orders from the hegumen (abbot) of the monastery, the Cretans blew up barrels of gunpowder, choosing to sacrifice themselves rather than surrender. The monastery became a national sanctuary in honor of the Cretan resistance. The explosion did not end the Cretan insurrection, but instead attracted the attention of the rest of the world.

Obverse

Depicts the Arkadi Monastery. The inscriptions in Grek "Arkadi Monastery" and the mintmark (stylized acanthus leaf, Athens) below and issuing country along the inner edge at left, the date on the upper right. The monogram of the engraver on the lower right (ΣΤΑΜ, Georgios Stamatopoulos). The twelve stars of the European Union surround the design on the outer ring.

ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ
2016
ΣΤΑΜ
ΜΟΝΗ ΑΡΚΑΔΙΟΥ

Reverse

A geographical map of Western Europe spans the outer ring and inner core on the right side of the coin. The inscription 2 EURO is superimposed over the map of Europe, with the numeral “2” located in an open field representing the eastern Atlantic Ocean.

12 stars are located on the right side of the outer ring, with six stars atop the map of Europe and six stars below it; six vertical stripes cut across the inner core of the coin, visually connecting the upper and lower star segments.

Luc Luycx, a designer at the Royal Belgian Mint, designed the Euro’s common reverse; his initials, LL, are seen on the right side of the design, just under the “O” in “EURO.”

2 EURO
LL

Edge

HELLENIC REPUBLIC in Greek

ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ ★

2 Euro

150th Anniversary of the Arkadi Monastery Torching

KM# 281
Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Circulating)
Material Bi-Metallic
Ring Cupronickel
Center -
Weight 8.5 g
Diameter 25.75 mm
Thickness 2.2 mm
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Bank of Greece

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2nd map

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