My Top 25 Coins (Maybe)

For someone like me that hasn't seen an operation like this it would be a thrill to see from a distance.

Nowadays, it's easy to miss the significance of these cupronickel coins, until you consider that very little if any, nickel objects were made during this period--and none in Baktria. These coins have boggled archaeologists for over a century; earning the namesake "Baktrian Nickel Theory" to explain their existence, which once attributed the source to China. China did produce a cupro-nickel alloy called "paitung", but the earliest relics date from the 3rd Century AD. Meteoric iron-nickel was once fashioned into blades and other implements, but cupronickel requires more refining. Where and how this nickel was mined and why it was fashioned into these coins of Baktria remains an unanswered mystery, possibly lost to the sands of time.

And nickel melts at 2647F, versus 1983F for copper. With tin melting at just 450F, bronze is considerably easier to alloy than cupronickel--it's probably why there was a "Bronze Age" but not a "Nickel Age".

Meteorites in ancient times were revered as 'gifts from the gods'--I'm doubtful they would be made into cheap, expendable items like coins, unless they were unaware of the metal's source? Meteorite iron is resistant to corrosion due to the nickel and was a valued material for blades. Copper is not very common in meteorites, but perhaps a meteoric source of nickel was alloyed with copper? From what I've read, these coins also contain iron and cobalt, which is present with nickel in meteorites, but is commonly found with terrestrial sources too. Whatever the reason, it's really an interesting mystery!

#19 Aigina AR stater early 5th century BC

We need to start this lesson with a bit of turtle anatomy. In life, turtles have one head, four legs and one tail. On coins of the island city state Aigina, turtles should have the same parts but the fact remains that many are weak or missing some of the parts. Price to collectors depends on which parts are clear. It should come as little surprise that most collectors would prefer a coin with the head. My coin has the head and even shows it clearly enough that you can see how it is turned to the side with open beak and one eye still indicated. That is why I show my photo swimming left rather than, as often seen, with the head up. My coin has one leg complete enough that it clearly shows the three claws. The other front leg has no foot. Rear legs? Tail? Nope! My coin made the #19 position in my heart partly because of those claws. You don't see them everyday. More, however, I like the fact that my coin was struck on a silver nugget rather than a carefully prepared round flan. One would expect coins of this nature to be earlier but the style of the reverse punch and turtle details suggests the coin is not terribly early in the series. I am not well schooled on the details that allow precise dating. At 12g it is a nice big chunk of silver and early in comparison to other large coins in my collection. Sure I'd like one with four legs and a tail but this one is a favorite with me since 1999 and easily deserves my position #19.

Did I mention these coins are both thick and high relief? They are hard to store in standard holders and can be thicker than some trays. Pleas don't force one into a slab!

Beautiful thick coin, I like that it was struck on a silver nugget. The turtle looks like he is smiling.