Molon Labe Type VII 1 oz Silver Round
A Spartan warrior confronts an enemy at close quarters on this one-ounce .999 fine silver round from Intaglio Mint. With a spear thrust captured at the height of battle, the design gives form to one of antiquity’s best-known expressions of defiance: Molon Labe, commonly translated as “come and take them.”
The Story Behind the Words
The saying is traditionally associated with Leonidas, king of Sparta, and the Persian invasion of Greece in 480 BC. At Thermopylae, a narrow passage between the mountains and the coast, Spartans fought alongside other Greek allies against the army of Xerxes. The setting made the pass a powerful symbol of resistance against overwhelming numbers.
In his Sayings of Spartans, Plutarch records a demand from Xerxes that Leonidas surrender his arms, followed by the terse reply remembered as Molon Labe. Plutarch wrote centuries after the battle, so the exchange is best understood as a famous ancient literary tradition rather than a surviving eyewitness transcript.
That distinction leaves the phrase’s enduring appeal intact. Its brevity makes the challenge unmistakable, while its association with Thermopylae connects the words to a specific episode in Greek history. The Type VII artwork brings the theme into a close combat scene. The extended spear directs the eye through the action, while the surrounding inscription connects the warrior’s struggle to the famous challenge. It is a dramatic artistic interpretation, rather than a record of an identified individual encounter.
Design Details
- Obverse: A soldier in Spartan regalia thrusts his spear into an enemy during battle. “MOLON LABE” follows the upper circumference.
- Reverse: A large Intaglio Mint logo sits within a plain border. “ONE TROY OUNCE” appears above, with “.999 FINE SILVER” and flanking stars completing the design.
Specifications
- Weight: 1 troy ounce
- Purity: .999 fine silver
- Diameter: 39 mm
- Thickness: 3.10 mm
- Edge: Reeded
- Finish: Brilliant Uncirculated
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