Greece, Ancient Technology, complete series, 10 euro Silver coins, Proof !

The Antikythera mechanism believed to date to 87 BC (/ˌæntɪkɪˈθɪərə/ AN-tih-kih-THEER-ə) is an Ancient Greek hand-powered orrery, described as the oldest example of an analogue computer used to predict astronomical positions and eclipses decades in advance. It could also be used to track the four-year cycle of athletic games which was similar to an Olympiad, the cycle of the ancient Olympic Games. 

This artefact was among wreckage retrieved from a shipwreck off the coast of the Greek island Antikythera in 1901. On 17 May 1902, it was identified as containing a gear by archaeologist Valerios Stais.  The device, housed in the remains of a wooden-framed case of (uncertain) overall size 34 cm × 18 cm × 9 cm (13.4 in × 7.1 in × 3.5 in),  was found as one lump, later separated into three main fragments which are now divided into 82 separate fragments after conservation efforts. Four of these fragments contain gears, while inscriptions are found on many others. The largest gear is approximately 13 centimetres (5.1 in) in diameter and originally had 223 teeth. 

The Screw of Archimedes is a brilliant device used for raising and transporting water. Archimedes is said to have invented it during his stay in Egypt, probably in view of farmers’ need to utilise Nile water for irrigation purposes. It is essentially a hollow tube that contains a spiral or helix that winds its way up. When the lower end of the tube is placed in water and the screw is turned, either manually or mechanically, water trapped within its coils rises until it reaches the top of the tube and pours out into irrigation ditches. The invention is described by the Roman architect Vitruvius, while Diodorus Siculus says that it was also used for draining water from mines. For its simplicity and ingenuity, the device has been popular over time and is still used today in similar applications.

The Automatic Maidservant Of Philo  is described in the Pneumatics of Philo of Byzantium, a 3rd century BC engineer who lived in Alexandria. It is an automaton (robot) in the form of a (life-size) maidservant holding a wine jug in her right hand. Inside the effigy were two tanks, one for wine and one for water (as the Greeks used to drink their wine diluted), and a mechanism consisting of liquid and air tubes. By placing a cup on the extended left hand of the maidservant, the mechanism started to work. Air pressure pushed the liquids (first wine and then water) through the right arm into the jug and then into the cup, in the desired proportion. The automatic maidservant is the first known functional robot.

The design of Philo’s automatic maidservant on the obverse of the coin is based on a reconstruction by the Kotsanas Museum of Ancient Greek Technology.

Ptolemy’s astrolabe stands as one of the most influential astronomical instruments in human history, serving scholars, navigators, and astronomers for centuries as a powerful tool for understanding the heavens. Based on the work of Claudius Ptolemy, this intricate device allowed users to determine the positions of stars, measure time, and solve complex celestial problems using a projection of the celestial sphere onto a flat surface. Widely used throughout the Islamic Golden Age and medieval Europe, the astrolabe became essential for navigation, timekeeping, and education, bridging science and art with its beautifully engraved plates. Its enduring legacy reflects humanity’s early mastery of astronomy and its relentless pursuit to map and comprehend the cosmos.

Issuer & Mintage	Greece , 2000 Coins each
Issuing bank	Bank of Greece (Τράπεζα της Ελλάδος)
Issuing regime	Third Hellenic Republic (1974-date)
Type	Non-circulating coins
Year	2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Value	10 Euros (10 EUR)
Currency	Euro (2002-date)
Composition	Silver (.925)
Weight	34.1 g
Diameter	40 mm
Shape	Round
Technique	Milled, Coloured
Orientation	Medal alignment ↑↑
Number	Varius
References	Varius