Medusa and other monsters

Since we have a new Coin Talker who expressed a particular interest, I thought we should say 'Welcome!' with a monstrous thread. I would be surprised if any of us have anything new to Ed but he might as well learn now that this group likes to show coins.

A few to begin:
Neopolis, Macedon fourree stater 510-480 BC


Apollonia Pontica AR hemidrachm 400-350 BC


Sinope AE30 beheading scene with Perseus (I know several here have nicer ones of other cities!)


L Plautius Plancus denarius (snakeless version)


Mn Cordius Rufus denarius


Two Probus - the first Rome with shield,


the second from Serdica with breastplate (tiny)


Post your most welcoming monsters.

 

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Apollonia Black Sea hemidrachm

 

Excellent idea!

Doug is referring to this post in which new CoinTalk member @Ed Snible mentioned that he collects coins depicting assorted monsters.

Welcome to CoinTalk, Ed! I suspect many of us frequent your website


CARIA, Kindya
510-480 BCE
AR tetrobol, 2.18 gm, 11 mm, Samian standard
Obv: head of ketos right
Rev: geometric pattern within incuse square
Ref: Kagan and Kritt, 'The Coinage of Kindya,' NC 1995, 1 var. (head left); SNG Keckman 920 var. (same); SNG Kayhan 815; "Asyut Hoard" 688


THRACE, Apollonia Pontika
Mid-late 4th century BCE
AR drachm, 10 mm, 3.2 gm
Obv: Facing gorgoneion
Rev: Upright anchor; A to left, crayfish to right
Ref: Topalov, Apollonia p. 348, 11


PONTOS, Amisos
85-65 BCE, time of Mithradates VI Eupator
AE28, 18.5 gm
Obv: helmeted head of Athena right
Rev: AMIΣOY; Perseus standing facing, holding harpa and head of Medusa, Medusa's body at his feet
Ref: SNG Stancomb 683 var. (no monogram to right). [I cannot verify this reference and suspect it may not be correct because there are monograms both left and right. Looks like Sear 3637 fits though]


PONTOS, Amisos
85-65 BCE, time of Mithradates VI Eupator
AE29, 19.5 gm
Obv: helmeted head of Athena right; gryphon on helmet
Rev: AMI-ΣOY; Perseus standing facing, holding harpa & Medusa's head; Medusa's body at his feet, monograms flanking him
Ref: SNG BM Black Sea 1166; Stancomb 684; SNG Copenhagen 137 (best guess)
purchased from a local jewelry store May 2014; covered in verdigris and without good detail. It cleaned up remarkably well with only a brief soak in vinegar! "Before" pictures are here.


PONTOS, Amisos
85-65 BCE, time of Mithradates VI Eupator
AE 22 mm, 7 gm
Obv: Aegis facing
Rev: AMI-ΣOY; Nike advancing right with shouldered palm branch; monograms flanking
Ref: SNG BM Black Sea 1177-1191; HGC 7, 242
Ex Dr. P. Vogl collection; ex Münzhandlung Athena (01.02.1988)


IONIA, Teos
320-294 BCE; magistrate Alypion
AR diobol (reduced standard), 10 mm, 0.98 gm
Obv: seated griffin right, paw raised
Rev: THI;, chelys; AΛΥΠΙΩN to left
Ref: Kinns 97 var. (magistrate’s name to right); SNG Copenhagen -


Roman Imperatorial, moneyer L. Plautius Plancus
47 BCE
AR Denarius, 3.79 gm
Obv: L. PLAVTIVS; facing mask of Medusa, serpents at either side of face; banker's mark on cheek
Rev: PLANCVS; Aurora flying right and conducting the four horses of the sun. Banker's mark in left field.
Ref: Plautia 15b Sear 429, Cr453/1b; Syd 959a.
formerly slabbed by NGC


CILICIA, Seleucia ad Calycadnum. Gordian III
238-244 CE
Æ 27 mm, 11 gm
Obv: ...ΓOPΔIANO radiate and draped bust right; C/M dot within triangle (Howgego 670?)
Rev: CEΛEVKEΩN; Athena advancing right, holding her shield with her extended left arm & preparing to hurl a spear at an anguipede giant (Enceladus?) who is throwing stones at her.
Ref: c.f. SNG Levante 763
More about this coin here.


EGYPT, Alexandria. Julia Mamaea
year 13, CE 233/4
tetradrachm, 24 mm, 14.36 gm
Obv: IOVMAMAIACEBMHTECEKCTPA; Draped bust right, wearing stephane
Rev: Serapis enthroned left, holding scepter, extending his right hand toward Cerberus seated at his feet; on throneback, Nike standing right, holding wreath and palm frond; L IΓ (date) to left, palm frond to right
Ref: Emmett 3226.13 (R4); Köln 2540; Dattari (Savio) 4517; K&G 64.119

 

Well, I have a few 'mythological' types like the gorgon already posted .....and this RR denarius of Carisius (Sibyl on obverse) with a sphinx if that can be considered a 'monster':

 

Pontos Amisos Gorgon Aegis-Nike AE21 Obv-Rev.JPG


Pontos Amisos Mithradates VI 109-89 BC AE 28 Athena Perseus Medusa Head Body O-R.jpg


Thrace Pantikapaion 4th C BC, AE 20 Pan head - Griffin forepart BMC 869 Obv-Rev.jpg


Sicily Kainon AE Tetras 20mm 6-7g Griffon - Horse Prancing SNG COP 133 Obv-Rev.JPG

 

I have several on my want list. The only in hand I have is the she-wolf VRBS ROMA. But have 2 inbound 1 is another VRBS but different mint the other is the Pegasus I posted a week ago because I had concerns on how much money to put on it.
I'll spare you all my VRBS it's been posted 3 or 4 times already.
I love to see what you all have & add to my grocery list.

 

Ah, and one of my Favorites and I do not see many of...

METUS! Etruscan for Medusa...


Etruria Populonia 3rd C BCE AR 20-Asses 8.1g Metus Blank HN 152 Obv-Rev.jpg

 

Oooow my, I have a total coin-boner!!

I "love" this coin-topic ... Ed Snible, you have great tastes, my new coin-friend!!

Ummm well, I may as well get rid of the Pontos-esque Medusa-examples, eh?




=> nuthin' but sweet Medusa faces and blood droolin' Medusa heads!! (that's coin-heaven to Snible and I)

 

I don't have to many monster coins, but if a Griffon qualifies my Syracuse Hippo-camp, circa 400 BC surely does.

 

@Ancient Aussie is my Coin Twin!


Sicily Syracuse ca 410 BC AE 19 Athena Snake Hippocamp O-R.jpg

 

Ed Snible => how 'bout some Wonderful Gryphon coins? ...

 

Ha Ha I got in first......although yours is better

 

Oh yeah... Roman Republic PAPI denarius Griffon!


RR L Papius 79 BCE Juno Sospita goat skin JUG Griffon Sear 311 Craw 384-1 Obv-Rev

 

welcome ed!

this serpent on the reverse of medieval coin from milan is pretty monstrous...he's even eating some poor guy!

 

Ummm, did anybody already post a sweet Chimera? (probably TIF, eh?)



=> this fricken thing has a Lion's body (a fire-breathing lion, by the way!!) ... a fricken goat growin' out of its back and just when you think that you're safe, there is a fricken snake-tail to bring it home!!

=> BOOM!!

The Chimera is a pretty sweet combatant!!

 

griffons rule.

 

I prefer the term "mythological beast"

@stevex6 I got your chimera right here.


and here is another beast with no name...

 

Flying pig has to count as a monster, right? Though I guess to some of us this just looks like wings and bacon all rolled into one.

 

Erymanthian Boar

http://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Creatures/Erymanthian_Boar/erymanthian_boar.html



M. Volteius M.f. AR Denarius
78 BC
Hercules & Erymanthian Boar

 

Welcome @Ed Snible !

Come to think of it, I tend to lose at just about every mythological monster I go after, but here's one:


Thessaly. Magnetes.
AE19, 7.23g, 196-146 BC
Obv: Laureate head of Zeus right.
Rev: ΜΑΓΝΗΤΩΝ; The centaur Chiron advancing right, holding branch over shoulder; star below.

Now if we're talking political monsters...