Ancient Coin Animals by Alphabet

Hi TIF ... how are you this morning?

Ummm, is it okay if I start-off the D-Day animals? (thanks in advance, my favourite)

"D" is for the amazing Dolphin coins ...

 

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Nice pod of dolphins, Steve!

Dolphin


SICILY, Syracuse. Agathokles
310-305 BCE
AR tetradrachm, 17.40 g, 24 mm
Obv: head of the nymph Arethusa left, wearing grain wreath, earring and necklace; around, three dolphins; under, monogram (NK?)
Rev: ΣYPAKOΣIΩN, fast chariot charioteer leads to left, holding reins and kentron; above, triskeles; in exergue, monogram
Ref: Ierardi 12 (O2-R8); SNG Copenhagen 573 var., SNG ANS 637
The story of its acquisition is here.


LUCANIA, Velia
305-290 BCE
AR didrachm, 17.5 mm, 7.3 gm
Obv: Head of Athena right, wearing crested helmet, decorated with griffin; at left, A
Rev: YEΛHTΩN; lion standing on exergual line; above dolphin between I and Φ
Ref: SNG ANS 1375-6


Sicily, Syracuse. Hieron II
275-216 BCE
Æ 23, 7.4 gm
Obv: diademed head of Poseidon left
Rev: IEP-ΩNOΣ Trident upright; on either side, dolphin
Ref: Calciati 194
I have tried a half dozen times to take good pictures of this coin and still don't have a good set.


CALABRIA, Tarentum
325-280 BCE
AR litra, 11 mm, 0.56 gm
Obv: cockle shell
Rev: dolphin right, trident below (I think it might be a bunch of grapes)
Ref: Vlasto 1530 (if grapes rather than trident, Vlasto 1527)
Freed from its slab, NGC Choice VF 5/5-3/5; cert# 3601372-003


THRACE. Byzantion
340-320 BCE
AR siglos, 17 mm, 5.0 gm
Obv: Heifer standing left on dolphin swimming to left
Rev: Incuse mill-sail pattern
Ref: SNG BM Black Sea 21

 

D is for Dog (or Hound)


Roman Republic, C. Postumius
74 BCE, Rome
AR denarius, 18.74 mm, 3.6 gm
Obv: bust of Diana right, bow and quiver over shoulder
Rev: hound running right, spear below; C. POSTVMI, TA in exergue
Ref: Crawford 394/1a


Roman Republic, L. Caesius
112-111 BCE
AR denarius, 3.92 gm
Obv: bust of Vejovis (some references say Apollo?) from behind, head turned left, holding a thunderbolt, legend AP; dotted border.
Rev: Lares praestites seated with heads left, dog between, bust of Vulcan above; legend LA-RE; dotted border.
Ref: Crawford 298/1. Sydenham 564. RSC Caesia 1


THRACE, Madytos
c.350 BC
AE13, 1.86 gm.
Obv: bull butting right.
Rev: dog seated right, ear of grain behind. M-A
Ref: Sear 1624 cf.; Copenhagen 923-6


MOESIA INFERIOR, Marcianopolis
Macrinus and Diadumenian, CE 217-218
AE pentassarion, 27 mm, 12.3 gm
Obv: AYT K M OΠEΛ CEV MAKPEINOC K M OΠE ANTΩNINOC; Laureate head of Macrinus left and bare head of Diadumenian right, confronted
Rev: VΠ ΠONTIANOV MAPKIANOΠOΛEITΩN; Artemis advancing right, reaching for an arrow in quiver at shoulder and holding bow, hound at foot, E in left field
Ref: Varbanov 1159 var. (obverse legend); Megaw MAR5.12d; Hristova/Jekov 6.24.13.1

 

Sweet!! => I like your dolphins too ... awesome!!

Oh, and thanks for the dog reminder (woof)




Wow, amazingly all of my hounds are AR RR examples ... I love your Greek Thrace example (man, I need more dog coins!!)

 

Thanks! It may look like a dog of a coin (double meaning intended ), but it's one I wanted and it is very hard to find. This one came from the infamous HighRatings/LowPrice guy. He accepted a reasonable offer .

 

I have an example from the same time period (350 BC), but my example has wings!!

 

Oh yeah? Well mine does too. I just forgot to show them

 

Dog :


C. Postumius, Denarius Rome mint, 74 BC
Bust of Diana right, bow and quiver above shoulder
Hound running right, C POSTVMI and TA (ligate) at exergue
4.0 gr
Ref : RCV # 330, RSC, Postumia # 9
The only coin here belonging to my wife, because of the greyhound she's had for almost two decades



Syracuse Hieron II 275-216 BC Head of Poseidon left
IEPWN Trident between two dolphins
9.07 gr, 22 mm
Ref : Sear #1223



Dolphin :


Vitellius, Denarius - 011 Rome mint, July - December 20, AD69
A VITELLIVS GERMAN IMP TR P, Laureate head of Vitellius right
XV VIR SACR FAC, Tripod-lebes with dolphin lying right on top and raven standing right below
3.43 gr, 16-18 mm
Ref : RCV # 2201var, Cohen cf # 110 et suiv, RIC I # 86 (this example illustrated in Wildwinds)


TITUS Denarius Rome mint, AD 80
IMP TITUS CAES VESPASIAN AVG PM, Laureate bust of Titus right
TRP IX IMP XV COS VIII PP, Dolphin entwined around anchor
3.56 gr
Ref : RIC # 26a, RCV # 2517, Cohen # 309

Q

 

You kids seem to have the dogs and dolphins covered. I'll throw in a dove on this anonymous quadrans...



Roman Empire, Anonymous, Domitian to Antoninus Pius AE Quadrans, 3.25g, Rome mint: AD 81-161
Obv.: Diademed and draped bust of Venus right.
Rev.: Dove standing right, S-C.
Reference: RIC II 24 (p. 218)
Notes: Countermark "AU" in field above dove, possibly from a university collection.

 

Redundant since I posted it under Chimera, but here it is again for Dove

 

@JA : Your dove looks a bit like a duck....but it still works with D

Q

 

Wow beauTIFul coins, i don't have any Dogs or Dolphins, but i do have a Man eating Dragon.

Gian Galeazzo Visconti. 1393-1402..AD.
AR, Grosso.
Rev. Man eating dragon
24mmx 2.27g.

 

Yes, it looks very much like a duck. RIC describes it as a dove, but on what grounds? I cannot find any association between Venus and dove, or a duck, or any sort of bird for that matter.

 

A Dolphin and Apollo

Ionia, Myus
11mm, 1.1g , Sear 4523

 

Somebody needs to post a Gallienus ant with a doe. Don't make me go buy a coin, people!

 

Here it is, not in my collection anymore though :


Gallienus, Antoninianus
GALLIENVS AVG, radiate head right
DIANAE CONS AVG, doe walking right looking back, E at exergue
3.3 gr
Cohen # 154, RCV # 10199

Q

 

I was looking forward to this so I could share one of my favorites in my collection:
Moesia, Istros. 4th century B.C. AR drachm (19.6 mm, 5.97 g, 12 h). Facing male heads, one inverted / IΣTPIH, sea-eagle left, grasping dolphin with talons; pellet between eagle and dolphin, AΠ monogram below. AMNG 417.4; SNG BM Black Sea 249.

 

man, i'm to slow...

here are my olbia dolphins.

 

How silly of me...
I have many of the Gallienus animals, many of the Doe's or Diane.

Gallienus ..257-258..AD.
Ae, Anton.
Obv. Gallienus.
Rev. Doe, Diane, walking right looking back to the left.
Rome mint
19mm x 2.86g.