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Pillar of the Community
United States
2480 Posts |
 This theme is going to make some folks very happy [ coughPish cough]. Here's how it will play: 1. You may enter up to 2 coins; restricted to coins struck prior to 600 AD. 2. Each entry is considered separate; voting will be for specific coins. 3. Your coin must have an animal. It can be the main feature, a secondary feature, control mark, etc. 4. Please post the picture and attribution. 5. Providing additional information will lead to bonus points. Here is the information required for bonus:
- Why you sought out this coin or this type of coin.
- How you found this particular coin, the lengths you went through to get it, how you won or bought it, prior attempts and failures, etc.
- Why did the issuer use that animal? If scholarly literature doesn't answer the question, provide your best guess.
6. At the proper time, vote for your three favorites in order, specifying your choice of coin for Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals. Each gold vote = 3 points; silver = 2, bronze = 1. 7. Bonus points are assigned is at the host's discretion but using the criteria listed above.. Entries which have met the three bonus criteria will gain an extra 2 points for each vote. For instance, if your entry meets the criteria, each bronze vote received will equal 3 points, each silver vote 4 points, and each gold vote 5 points. Why? To encourage you to provide entertaining and educational information about your coin rather than just posting a pretty picture. 8. Entries begin now. Deadline for entries is Friday December 13th at 8 am EST. 9. Voting begins when entries end; voting ends Monday December 16th at 8 pm EST, although it may be extended at the host's discretion if as usual people forget to vote. 10. You can vote even if you didn't enter a coin. 11. Prize-- maybe/probably a prize to the winner. The pride of simply winning is priceless though :) 12. The winner hosts the next Restored Smackdown. SAMPLE ENTRY:
 IONIA, Klazomenai
499-494 BCAR diobol, 9mm, 1.18 g Obv: forepart of winged boar left Rev: incuse square Ref: Cf. BMC 9-10 (drachm); cf. Traité I 488 (drachm) Very rare with boar left, apparently unpublished as a diobol. From the Daniel Koppersmith Collection.Initially I sought out these "pigasus" coins for part of a themed collection, Pink Floyd / Animals, since two of the tracks are titled Pigs on the Wing. I loved the idea of a winged pig anyway. Why did the issuer depict a winged pig? Did they believe such things existed? I was curious. Plus, I just thought it was funny... 'when pigs fly'... Finding these winged pigs has become my main focus and I hope to collect at least one example from every city or place of issue. So far I've identified 8 such places of issue and have 3, hopefully soon 4 of the geographic examples. The majority of pigasus coins were minted in Klazomenai, Ionia. Apparently there is a legend of a winged sow that terrorized the island: (from http://www.theoi.com/Ther/HusKlazomenaios.html ) THE HUS KLAZOMENAIOS was a gigantic winged sow which terrorized the Greek town of Klazomenai in Ionia, Asia Minor. From Aelian, On Animals 12. 38 (trans. Scholfield) (Greek natural history C2nd A.D.) :Quote:
I have heard that on Klazomenai [and island west of Smyrna] there was a Sow with wings, and it ravaged the territory of Klazomenai. And Artemon records this in his Annals of Klazomenai. That is why there is a spot named and celebrated as `The Place of the Winged Sow,' and it is famous. But if anyone regards this as myth, let him do so. It's unclear if this legend is the reason for the appearance of the winged pig on so many Klazomenai coins. Plus, isn't that coin's porker a male rather than a sow? Isn't the prominent bristle ridge found on males, not females? Admittedly, I'm not a pig sexing expert. Also unknown is why other cities issued coins with flying pigs. Did they also have the Winged Sow legend? Were the coins minted for trade with those neighboring locales? Was there some other legend involving a Winged Boar? This particular pigasus was my first. Once it was put on the list, I started searching all auctions daily-- through sixbid.com, numisbids.com, and ebay. I wanted this one badly. It's reticulated but still a very good specimen and there doesn't seem to be any other known specimens of a left-flying boar from Klazomenai in this denomination. As usual, I waited until the end to bid and the auction was unfortunately live while I was at work. I didn't have much experience in live bidding at that time and was very anxious, plus trying to juggle work during the auction. I submitted my max bid in the last seconds and it didn't register as submitted! ARGGGGGH! I blew it!! But apparently it was received in time and was the highest-- yay and whew!! I've had a few similar misses and near-misses in live online bidding-- difficulty managing while at work, internet connection issues, etc. Now if a coin is very important to me, I bite the bullet and submit a max bid ahead of time, even though I feel that just incites higher bidding. I've only submitted an early bid a few times and really don't like having to do that. Edited by ThisIsFun
12/07/2013 07:38 am
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
3626 Posts |
Yay!
Going to have to think about this one......
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4973 Posts |
ok, here's mine...i went with animals that were featured on the prominantly on the coin, not with someone or part of a quadriga or something like that.. here's the first...   septimus severus 193-211ad anchialus,thrace rev: eagle on thunder bold, ring (or wreath) in beak. i didn't seek out this coin, I think it found me. I ran into it at a coin show stashed in a binder full of coins that were pretty bad...it stuck out like a ...well not a sore thumb, but a beautifully green patinaed thumb. I don't know the significance of the eagle here?   julian ii 360-363 ad constantinople mint i had been looking for one of these for a long time that was affordable and looked ok. had lost several auctions with bids I knew probably wouldn't win. I just happened on to this one on ebay for 30 bucks shipped with the "buy it now" botton...so you know what happened. here I know the significance, julian went all over the place sacrificing critters (especially bulls I guess) to the pagan gods. julian "the butcher". |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
3626 Posts |
Coin No 1 Athenian Owl 26mm at the widest 17g Obverse is Athena, Goddess of Wisdom and War. Athena wears what is typically described as an earing and necklace, but the necklace is actually the top of her aegis, or breastplate, which extends from her shoulder to her neck. The earring is likely a hinge used for connecting the helmet to the aegis. Athena's helmet is decorated with a floral scroll and olive leaves. Other specimens show more of the crest than this one. Reverse depicts a Classical Owl, in reality a Little Owl about 8 inches high. An olive sprig behind represents the large export of olive oil from Athens. The crescent moon perhaps refers to the Battle of Salamis against the Persians, after which the crescent was introduced to the coin (around 480BC). The Greek letters, alpha, theta, and epsilon, with the theta appearing as O with a dot in the middle, are in the right field. Meaning: "Of the Athenians". All within an incuse square. No test cuts or counter marks. Owls were used for large transactions such as building projects, war supplies and international trade. They were not used in everyday commerce, their value was too high. As international trade coins, they were used by other cities for the collection of tribute and taxes and by traders for large commerical transactions. Owls were later replaced by the Alexander the Great's silver tetradrachm and gold staters, and later still, the Roman denarius and aureus. [Information shamlessly taken from reidgold.com] Owls have long been considered "wise" and presumably this connects with Athena Goddess of Wisdom. I saw pictures of Owls long before I started collecting coins. The owl has an almost hypnotic effect on me, this is one of the prettiest owls I have seen. I came across it on the bay. The seller had a large collection of coins purporting to come from one collection from the 50s. All the coins looked to be good, but when I saw the owl, I was in lust. I put in a bid that seemed to just pip the previous bid. It was expensive, but I had looked at other owls that were for sale and I didn't pay as much some of the top end ones. My owl was prettier and with no cuts. I couldn't watch. I waited until the end of the auction and checked the "didn't win". Not there. Ooohhh. Checked Purchase History. Nobody else had bid. Perhaps I overpaid, perhaps nobody wanted to risk getting a fake. But it is mine. It feels fabulous in the hand, and I can't take a picture to do it justice. I can die happy    |
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Pillar of the Community
Netherlands
1204 Posts |
Amazing coin pish, so nice!
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
2480 Posts |
Pish, I think you got a super deal on that coin. I wonder if it is ex BCD-- is that one of his handwritten round tags? I may have one of his tags. I'll see if the handwriting matches.
Does anyone else in CCF land recognize BCD's handwriting?
If your coin is ex-BCD, add it to the provenance. From what I've seen it adds to perceived value, sometimes considerably!
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
3626 Posts |
Coin No 2 CARTHAGE, SECOND PUNIC WAR AE SHEKEL 22mm 7.01g Zeugitania, Carthage 221-202 BC Obverse Wreathed head of Tanit left Reverse Horse standing right, head left. SNG Copenhagen 349 This coin is TIFs fault. After I saw pics of her doorstop with the horse, I was fascinated. I knew I couldn't hope to acquire something like hers, but there might be something out there I could get. I bid on several coins that went for more money than I was prepared to pay. OK this doesn't have the palm tree and you can't see all the hooves, and I have seen better heads - but the attitude of the horse just made me fall in love with it. It cost me £22.25 including postage, I had bid a lot higher, so it was a nice surprise. I love a lot of my coins, all for different reasons, but this is in the top 5. In the hand, you know you're holding money! Thank you TIF  Second Punic WarThe Second Punic War, also referred to as The Hannibalic War, (by the Romans) The War Against Hannibal, or "The Carthaginian War", lasted from 218 to 201 BC and involved combatants in the western and eastern Mediterranean. This was the second major war between Carthage and the Roman Republic, with the crucial participation of Numidian-Berber armies and tribes on both sides. The two states had three major conflicts against each other over the course of their existence. They are called the "Punic Wars" because Rome's name for Carthaginians was Punici, due to their Phoenician ancestry. The war is marked by Hannibal's surprising overland journey and his costly crossing of the Alps, followed by his reinforcement by Gaulish allies and crushing victories over Roman armies in the battle of the Trebia and the giant ambush at Trasimene. Against his skill on the battlefield the Romans deployed the Fabian strategy. But because of the increasing unpopularity of this approach, the Romans resorted to a further major field battle. The result was the Roman defeat at Cannae. In consequence many Roman allies went over to Carthage, prolonging the war in Italy for over a decade, during which more Roman armies were destroyed on the battlefield. Despite these setbacks, the Roman forces were more capable in siegecraft than the Carthaginians and recaptured all the major cities that had joined the enemy, as well as defeating a Carthaginian attempt to reinforce Hannibal at the battle of the Metaurus. In the meantime in Iberia, which served as the main source of manpower for the Carthaginian army, a second Roman expedition under Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus Major took New Carthage by assault and ended Carthaginian rule over Iberia in the battle of Ilipa. The final showdown was the battle of Zama in Africa between Scipio Africanus and Hannibal, resulting in the latter's defeat and the imposition of harsh peace conditions on Carthage, which ceased to be a major power and became a Roman client-state. [Taken from Crystalinks.com]   |
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
AR STATER LYDIA 500-460 BC Obverse: fore part of Boar Reverse: Bust of Lion 18.3 mm x 9.15 grams BMC 16 acfv   AR Denarius Roman Republic 88 BC Bust of Mars facing right Horses galloping to right, victory and wreath C N LENTVL 19mm x 3.58 grams Crawford 345/1  |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2624 Posts |
I would have posted my owl tetradrachm again but Pish already posted a perfectly good one ^^  I love the archaic type Greek silver and was lusting after an archaic turtle for ages. These are not cheap though as a result of low supply and high demand. After letting another member on here buy a slightly better one than this on ebay (we agreed not to bid against each other and I thought it would go for much more than he paid so I resisted bidding) I saw this one on Vcoins. I will never be completely happy with the turtle (at least it is fairly central) but the deep struck incuse pattern is cool and it was good value for money for its type. They later moved to a tortoise with some shell detail so I guess Aegina used these as a symbol... This coin is almost as thick as it is wide ^^  Not sure if a Pegasis counts as an animal (since it is mythical) though the Romans/Greeks had good reason to believe they were real. At the time they had discovered fossilised dinosaur bones and some they presumed to be the bones of giants and others they worked out must have been horses with wings etc. In the case of the Pegasis they likely found the bones of a dinosaur similar to a triceratops or penterasops... a 4 legged animal with a defensive crest above its neck. After assembling the remains correctly as a quadraped they had bones left over which were from the crest but since they never knew a crested creature they wrongly assumed these were wing bones. This coin was amongst the first of my ancient coins and I just fell in love not only with the Pegasis but also with the design of the Corinthian helm. This coin is well centred and though not perfect (some smoothing it says though it doesn't detract too much) seemed to offer good bang for buck (something I am always after) when it came up I just had to have it. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
870 Posts |
I love animal coins. :) AE 15, 220 - 215 B.C., Zeugitania, 15mm, 2.78g, 45°, SNG Copenhagen 109. Obv: Head of Tanit left, wreathed with corn, wearing necklace and earring. Rev: Horse standing right, palm tree in background.  Two animals for the price of one. AR Denarius, A.D. 69, Rome, 18mm, 2.64g, 180°, RIC I 109; scarce. Obv: A VITELLIVS GERM IMP AVG TR P. Laureate head right. Rev: XV VIR SACR FAC. Tripod alter with dolphin above and raven below.  Edited by MartiVltori
12/08/2013 12:48 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2480 Posts |
A raven! I didn't know there were any on ancient coins.
Gotta get one of those-- thinking of putting together another themed collection, Animal Farm by George Orwell. I thought I'd have to substitute an eagle or other bird for Moses!
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2100 Posts |
Thessaly, Larissa, Silver Drachm Obv:â€" Youth wrestling or restraining bull, both to right, cloak and petasos flying out behind. Rev:â€" LAR/ISAI, bridled horse galloping right, all in incuse square Minted in Thessaly, Larissa from 440-400 B.C. Reference:â€" SNG Oxford - (vgl. 3865). SNG Cop. -.  Larissa was well known for the quality of their horses and their horsemanship. This coin doubles up with the animals with a depiction of the Thessalian sport of bull wrestling. I have been brought up with and around horses most of my life and have a real soft spot for ancient coins depicting horses especially when done where the spirit of the horse shines through the engraving. I have another similar drachm with a different pair depiction of the horse and bull where the head of the horse is missing. I waited to get one with a better depiction of the horse. Martin |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
549 Posts |
  Cretan goat on a Roman Republican denarius of Gnaeus Plancius, 55 BC, friend of Cicero. Female head right wearing causia (Macedonian hat). Cretan goat right, with quiver and bow behind. Plancius had served as a military tribune and then Quaestor in Macedonia and he served in Crete under the proconsul Q. Metellus (which was mentioned by Cicero in a speech at Plancius's trial for election irregularities), hence the connection with the species of wild mountain goat peculiar to Crete. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5155 Posts |
Entry # 1 Ever since I saw this coin on the documentary "The Story of India" I felt that I absolutely could not live without an example. The Indo-Greek kings issued a wide array of interesting bilingual coins. Among those coins lies a few very interesting types. One of my favorite is a square Greek drachm made for use in the far reaches of the known world. This coin was made to the Indian standard of 2.45 grams(ideal). Round coins in this case were rejected in favor of coins that were square which resembled the earlier long circulating coins of the Mauryan Empire. The coin features an elephant and a holy cow!! The Zebu Bull is and was a holy icon recognized by all. The Elephant was chose to represent the power and strength of this issuing authority. Apollodotos I "The Savior". My favorite "animal coin" I purchased the coin mainly for condition vs cost reasons. The condition is actually quite nice for the type. It has nearly intact legends and devices, decent wear and a fairly regular flan. I the AN monograms just sealed the deal. These coins are fairly common. Bactria (Indo Greek) Indian Standard Weight.. Apollodotos I (174-165 BC) AR Drachm 17.4mm x 17.0mm x 2.29g Obverse: Elephant Standing Right- BASILEWS APOLLODOTOY SWTHROS around AN monogram below Reverse: Kharoshti Legend- MAHARAJASA APALADATASA TRATARASA- Zebu bull standing monogram A  Edited by Ancientnoob
12/08/2013 8:37 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5155 Posts |
Entry #2 I am trying to get as many single good examples of coins from ancient Indian kingdoms and republics as I can while they remain relatively inexpensive. Little is known about the Kalachuris but they dynasty that existed between 550-625 AD and ruled a large empire in central India. Krishnaraja was first and perhaps the only king to issue coins. His coins are quite rare. This coin is a pretty good example of an extremely degraded coin type. The coin imitates the earlier coins of the Gupta Empire who in turn are imitations of earlier Western Satraps coins. These coins are hard to find and hard to identify. You really have to go to a dealer of eastern coins to reliably get one. I would have even known the coin existed until I saw it in an inventory listing. A real quality piece ! India,Deccan Kingdom of Kalachuris Krishnaraja 550-575 AD (wew) AR Rupaka (drachm) 11 mm x 2.02 grams. Obverse: Head of Krishnaraja. No Legend. reverse: Brahmi legend - PARAMA MAHESVARAMATA PITRI PADANUDHYATA SRI KRISHNARAJA- Zebu Bull kneeling right. ("devout worshipper of Siva who meditates at the feet of his mother and father the lord Krishnaraja.") ref# Mitchiner 582/593 Rare!  Edited by Ancientnoob
12/08/2013 9:41 pm
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Pillar of the Community
Netherlands
1204 Posts |
Excellent coins, of all of you! I shall post mine tomorrow
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Replies: 50 / Views: 7,692 |
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Posted 12/07/2013 11:30 am
