50 Euros Ancient Messini

Part of the Bank of Greece's long-running "Ancient Greek Cities" series, this miniature gold issue commemorates Messene — the fortified city founded by Epaminondas of Thebes in 369 BC following the Theban defeat of Sparta at Leuctra. The founding ended nearly three centuries of Messenian helotage under Spartan domination, making the city itself a political act as much as an urban one.

At one gram, these issues are struck for collectors rather than any practical monetary function, with mintages kept deliberately low across the series.