Ancient coin with greatest creature or animal type density

If you're going to have beasts specially imported for your circus game, why go for anything less than the most exotic.

 

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A big WOW at @Jay GT4 and @zumbly for those amazing coins with a veritable Noah`s ark on display.
My heaviest, thickest and most populated is the following (It wont win but I love this coin and its history posted by me elsewhere, better in hand)
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PHILIP I AE 28mm of Viminacium in Moesia Superior. Year 9 of founding, 248 AD. 18.14g 3mm thick
IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right
P M S COL VIM, Moesia standing, looking left between bull and lion, AN VIIII in ex
(Emblems of the Roman legions VII and IV quartered in the province)
Reference: Sear 2614 var, Sear GIC 3874 var

 

Thanks z. I actually sold that coin as I mostly collect the Flavians and southern Italians, but I do sometimes regret selling it.

 

type count on the obverse - 3;
total type count from both sides - 5;
density on the nominated side - 0.0149;
density accounting for both sides (<total count> / <double the surface area>) - 0.0124.

 

Oh, ok. I was wondering if I would break the supercomptuer with wrong data.

I knew it would have not significant value, just be in the middle of the data universe. So: 16mm, 3.8g. Not a winner, not a loser. So no distinction.

 

This is one heck of a coin @zumbly! I am mind blown. A representative with crisp-clear reverse, which I looked up for verification , can be found at http://ikmk.smb.museum/object?lang=en&id=18204463&view=rs.

type count on the reverse - 8 (includes humans of the quadrigae);
total type count from both sides - 8 (the human species on the obverse is not counted twice);
density on the nominated side (reverse) - 0.0245 (beats my example, which is 0.0212 );
density accounting for both sides (<total count> / <double the surface area>) - 0.0122.

HATS OFF!!!

P.S. Agree with @dougsmit on zebra (maybe those were, now extinct, Quaggas - half-striped zebra variant), but can accept that whatever it is, can be counted as different from the horses of the quadrigae.

 

Just corrected the na values

 

And thanks @Jay GT4 for showing the sibling of @zumbly 's coin and the details about the type(s)!

Everyone on CT, please show you creature-rich coins, even if those may not out-compete the above one. Will summarise the results after a few days, so that we can crown the current winners and know about where the coins presented here stand.

 

Thanks @JulesUK. Here are the metrics:

type count on the reverse - 3;
total type count from both sides - 3 (the human(oid) species on the obverse is not counted twice);
density on the nominated side (reverse) - 0.00487;
density accounting for both sides (<total count> / <double the surface area>) - 0.00244.

 

The one coin that lists a bear doesn't seem to look like a bear but it got me to wondering of all the animals on greek and roman coins why are there no bears?

 

If you talk about ancient coins with the greatest animal type density I think you should consider the type "Orpheus taming the wild animals" too.

Thrace, Philippopolis, Geta, AD 209-212
AE 30, 17.77g, 29.53mm, 180°
Obv.: AVT K Π CEΠTI - MIOC ΓETAC
Bust, draped and cuirassed, laureate, r.
Rev.: Orpheus, in Thracian garment and wearing Phrygian bonnet, sitting on rocks r. and playing lyre; around him a number of wild animals listening to his singing.
in ex.: ΦIΛIΠΠOΠO / ΛEITΩN
Ref.: Varbanov 1422; Moushmov 5383
rare, F+/About VF, nice dark green patina, some roughness in left field of rev.
Pedigree:
ex coll. Pete Burbules


The 8 animals are clockwise from upper right:
(1) bull
(2) lion
(3) capricorn
(4) goose and wolf
(5) jackal and stork
(6) boar

Best regards
Jochen

 

Hmmm... this might be interesting:

Just a Wolf's HEAD:


Roman Republic
Egnatius Maxsumus 76 BCE
Bust Libertas pileus behind-
Roma and Venus standingg cupid on shoulder - Roma's foot on Wolf's Head at their feet
Sear 326 Craw 391-3

Cool story, very truncated: The moneyer's family were originally a plebeian family of equestrian rank and were Samnites. After the Social War, a part of the family moved to Rome, with a couple becoming Senators. However, one of the Senators was expelled, and also disowned his Senator Son. "No one has a saisfactory reason for this scene..." Hmmm... I wonder, this guy came from a Rebel Family (Samnites), who were virtually exterminated after the Social War by Sulla. I think Roma stepping on a Wolf's severed head might say something... LOL, GO SAMNIUM!

 

Ah π/4

 

There are two ways to win this:

Have as many animals as possible on the coin OR have an animal on as small a coin as possible.

Having 8 animals on a 20mm coin will give you a score of 0.0255.

Having just ONE animal on a 6mm coin will give you a score of 0.0354

 

What a wonderful type! It is very remarkable and must be very rare.

 

I have small little guys...
EL Hemihekte ND Kyzikos Mint
Mysia/ Kyzikos
Struck 500BC
9mm. 1.46g.
Wild Boar+ Tunny Fish

EL Myshemihekte ND Kyzikos Mint
Struck 600BC
6mm. 0.64g.
Tuna Fish Head

Rajas of Thanajur
Tanjore Mint
5mm. 0.36g.
AV Fanam ND
Lion with Peacock Head

Vijayanagar Empire
Achyutaraya 1514-34
AV 1/2 Pagoda ND 10mm. 1.68g.
Gandabherunda=Two Headed Eagle holding 2 Elephants with beak/ two more in talons=5 beasts.

 

Bears are rare. But, there is one on a provincial coin of Nicopolis.


Septimius Severus, 193-211.
27 mm. 11.55 grams.
Nicopolis, Lower Moesia
AIMOC across reverse field, for Haemus, a mountain range
The mountain range, personified, with long staff and leaning on rocks and vegetation, with bear in front and stag leaping to right behind.
AMNG (Pick) I.1 plate III.22.
Nicopolis by Hristova and Jekov, 8.14.43.3.

 

Here's and interesting AE Dirhem of Urtukids of Maridin, Nasir al-Din Urtuk Arslan (1201-1239), showing a centaur preparing to shoot an arrow into the mouth of dragon arising from his tail (ouch!).

I picked up this example last year through MA Shops.

8.10 grams, pretty much in as-found condition.

 

Hares are rare animals on coins. Here is one:

Gordian III, AD 238-244
AE 21, 6.16g
struck AD 242/3 (year 4)
Obv.: [IMP GORDIA]NVS PIVS FEL AVG
Bust, draped and cuirassed, radiate, r.
Rev.: PMS C - OL VIM
Moesia, in long garment, std. frontal, head l., holding in lowered r. hand hare
on hind legs and vexillum without legion number in l. hand.
in ex. AN IIII (year 4)
Ref.: a) AMNG I/1, 90
b) Hristova/Jekov Kat.No.18
c) Varbanov 100
Scarce, F/about VF



Pick writes: Wether the hare is a symbol of the abundance of hares in Moesia or an allusion to a beaten enemy remains to be seen.

Best regards