We have already covered several women as known from Greek mythology in our blog series following along with Whitman Publishing’s 100 Greatest Women on Coins. While their stories are vastly different than human experience, their stories are just as impactful on the history of coinage. Author Ron Guth will help us along in our short journey with this next woman whose story is close to that of another we have already covered, Persephone.
#48 – Demeter
The mother of Persephone and the Greek goddess of the harvest in Greek mythology, Demeter is often talked about with her daughter and their stories are almost always intertwined. Not only were they mother and daughter, but they were also linked together as vegetation goddesses, or agriculturally based goddesses who preside over grains and plants. A major part of their story is how they were separated and never able to be together again, which is explained in the entry following Persephone.
Demeter can be seen on both ancient and modern coins, but more so ancient. She often wears a crown of grains or will appear with symbols of agriculture such as ears of corn or wheat. On some French silver coins beginning in 1848, the crown of grains theme presents itself on the same coin where Liberty’s bust is known as the Ceres head. In Roman mythology, the goddess Ceres is known as Demeter’s counterpart.
The Marshall Islands created a $10 brass coin in 1994 as part of their Wonders of the Solar System series. The coin representing Earth features Demeter as the symbolic mother seated with her two children. Andorra created a 10-diner coin in 1995 to promote the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations. Demeter is depicted holding wheat stalks and ears of corn in her arms. In 1930, Greece issued a 10-drachma coin with the classic head of Demeter facing left with her name in Greek along the border.
Collecting difficulty is considered easy, according to Guth. Many of the coins are common and relatively inexpensive for ancient coins.