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Numismatic Museum of Athens
This mansion cost more money than most Greeks would see in ten lifetimes! Heinrich Schliemann - the guy who discovered Troy - spent 439,650 drachmas building this palace on Panepistimiou Street in 1881. Inside, Italian mosaicists created floors showing his actual archaeological treasures! Now it houses half a million ancient coins from 670 treasure hoards, making it one of the world's richest collections!
Did You Know?
- The Numismatic Museum of Athens is housed in the **Iliou Melathron**, a historic mansion built between 1878 and 1880 for Heinrich Schliemann, the famous archaeologist who excavated Troy. The building's design combines Renaissance Revival and Neoclassical styles, with interior decorations inspired by Pompeii, featuring mosaics and murals related to the Trojan War and Greek motifs.
- The museum's collection includes over 600,000 coins, medals, and other numismatic items, spanning from the 14th century BC to modern times. This makes it one of the richest numismatic collections globally, rivaling those of the British Museum and the State Hermitage Museum.
- The Numismatic Museum of Athens played a significant cultural role in Greece's history, established in 1834 alongside the National Archaeological Museum. It has been a hub for numismatic research and education, hosting notable figures and contributing to international numismatic studies through publications like the **International Journal of Numismatic Archeology**.