The reverse of USA Philippine coins includes the Coat of arms of the Commonwealth of the Philippines. I always thought that the animal on the COA was a Hippocampus (half horse / half fish). On most of the coins I’ve seen this area of the reverse is typically not well struck. Now that I have a decent example to examine, I don’t think it is a horse head. It looks more like a lion’s head. Does anyone have an example where this area of the reverse is well struck so we can see the animal clearly?
What do you call an animal that is 1/2 lion & 1/2 fish? A quick web search provided this depiction of the Coat of arms of the Commonwealth of the Philippines. Now it is obvious to me that it is a half lion / half fish. What the heck do you call that? I don’t find the lion-fish listed in this Wikipedia list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_hybrid_creatures_in_mythology
Hey Collect. Its still a hippocampus. Although often described as being half horse have serpant. There are several variations. In the Bath of Neptune the mosaic depicts a half lion half serpent. While The Trevi fountain depiction is a horse forepart. While in Kansas City they have an art deco sculpture and the Hippocampus is depicted as a winged horse for part There are also other renditions that are a mix of several animals. A lioness head with Plesiosaur like forelimbs, winged with a fish tail. It all depends what Kool-aid you drink, but I am pretty sure all are the same Etruscan/ Phoenician Mythological "sea horse".
http://www.news-medical.net/health/Hippocampus-What-is-the-Hippocampus.aspx well a hippocampus is part of the mammal brain so any thing half mammal half non mammal fits the definition maybe
By the way, the creature depicted on the territorial arms of the Philippines is a heraldic sealion. This is often confused with a hippocamp, which must by nature have the head of a horse.
I see now that it is a "heraldic sea lion". Thanks to everyone for looking & if you have a struck-up example depicting the sea lion, please post a photo.
I did not get it when I was working at Clark AFB in The Philippines. I found it in a dealer's "new purchases box" at the Danbury coin show 1-week ago.
