Molon Labe Type VIII 1 oz Silver Round
King Leonidas stands surrounded by opposing soldiers on this one-ounce .999 fine silver round from Intaglio Mint. With the Spartan king placed at the center of the action, 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 VIII artwork centers the story on Leonidas himself. Surrounding soldiers emphasize the pressure facing the Spartan king, while the inscription gives his defiant response a place within the composition. The scene is a modern artistic interpretation of the legend, rather than a contemporary portrait or an eyewitness record.
Design Details
- Obverse: King Leonidas, dressed in Spartan regalia, is surrounded by soldiers of the Persian king Xerxes. “MOLON LABE” follows the lower circumference.
- Reverse: A large Intaglio Mint logo sits within a plain border. “ONE TROY OUNCE” appears above, with “.999 FINE SILVER” and the date “2023” 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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