This is the final installment on the theme Weapons on Coins. If you missed any of the previous three parts, use the search button to locate them. With this final issue, we'll explore and find all the firsts associated with our theme. The links will take you to an image of borh sides of the coin described, more interesting facts about the coin, plus you can get a better and larger image of the coin by clicking on the coin. Arrow is our first weapon in alphabetical order; This Greek tetradrachm is Greece's first coin to show a bow with arrow. Apollo is the archer: http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=175478&AucID=223&Lot=237 Axe as a weapon is usually displayed on the reverse of a coin. As you can see on this silver denarius the axe is featured on the obverse. This Roman Republic coin was minted circa 49-48 B.C.and is the first Roman coin to bear the image of an axe. Image courtesy of Coin Archives: http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=175327&AucID=222&Lot=86 The following image is Greece's first coin to bear an axe on it. (circa 370): Note, also, Hercules is drawing a bow with arrow: http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=175274&AucID=222&Lot=33 Battleaxe is now our weapon. India, citca 335-380, was the first country to mint a coin bearing a battleaxe: http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=134902&AucID=160&Lot=1163 The first coin to have a cannon (actually a pair of crossed cannons) on it is an Argentine gold 8 escudos: http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=375&AucID=3&Lot=2 It might suprise you to discover this next coin is the one that had a dagger (two daggers) on it. Please read all the info that accompanies this coin: http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=175330&AucID=222&Lot=89 Probably, you'd never expect a coin to have a "flail" on it, but you'd be wrong. Not one coin, but more. This first one was minted in Phonecia, a Greek city-state: http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=165091&AucID=203&Lot=140 This one was minted in Rome and depicts two gladiators battling each other in the arena: http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=164563&AucID=202&Lot=516 And here's an Egyptian specimen: http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=91754&AucID=99&Lot=802 This is another well-known coin to Ancient coin collectors: a Greek segesta: http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=175477&AucID=223&Lot=236 And here's a Roman contribution: http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=175737&AucID=223&Lot=496 In ancient and medieval times "mace" was a weapon with a wood handle and spiked ball/s attached to an iron chain/s, not a spray and here are some "mace on coins" examples: This first coin to carry a "mace" on it was minted by the Greek city-srate, Thessalonia: http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=86091&AucID=93&Lot=1317 This Greek coin is the first to depict rhe "winged Nike" holding a "mace". It's a stater struck between 435-420 B.C. http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=9684&AucID=9&Lot=190 Here's Rome's contribution showing a figure on reverse of coin with two weapons: a trident and a multi-ball mace. http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=132529&AucID=157&Lot=253 A spear appears first on this Greek coin: http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=175298&AucID=222&Lot=57 And then it appears on this Roman coin: http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=175343&AucID=222&Lot=102 Just a bonus image of the first Roman coin to have a rider upon a horse weilding his spear: http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=175358&AucID=222&Lot=117 And now we move on to sword. Here's another Greek Segesta, the Greek coin that first displayed a sword on it: http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=175477&AucID=223&Lot=236 And this denarius is the first Roman coin with a sword: http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=175737&AucID=223&Lot=496 And following are our trident entries: This is the first Greek coin to show a trident. It is a nomis and shows Poseidon poised ready to throw a trident: http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=175245&AucID=222&Lot=4 This coin is an Italian sextans from the 3rd century B.C. and is the first Roman coin to display a trident on it: (It may be the first to feature an anchor in it): http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=175588&AucID=223&Lot=347 Here's an interesting coin in that it is the first coin to display a pair of thunderbolts, weapon of Gods and Goddesses. A lot of historical info with this coin: http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=79817&AucID=86&Lot=62 That ends my 4-part Weapons on Coins trivia. Did you enjoy them? Or was it too long? Clinker
Thank you Clinker for a great series of reads!! I had no idea that there was a coin struck to celebrate the assassination of Julius Ceaser by Brutus. I can't wait for the nextthread you start!!!
Thanks for the trivia. That last coin is fascinating with the 'divine weapons', I knew nothing of that one. And no, your trivia threads are not too long, they just take a long time to absorb in detail. Great stuff.
Clinker, Thank you for posting such an interesting "series" of threads! I read ALL of them at least twice! GREAT trivia! Thanks again, and keep 'em coming! swick
Clinker don't worry about the length of the threads. When they are this interesting and educational you don't even notice the length.
interesting post there are also coins with modern day weapons on them . I know and own an iraq coin that has one.
scoutjim99 Thanks for reading this fourth Weapons on Coins installment and Ihopr you'll read the other three and let mr know what you think. Clinker
Great article. I being a knife, sword, spear, gun, ax collector appreciate this one more than usual. As noted previously I print out most of your articles. My big problem is when I print out them I also get all the responses from others and then have to cut those off so I can just put yours in my collection of your articles. I use a lot of paper for that. Thank goodness for flea markets and their cheap paper.
WOW did I just figure something out. I take the articles by Clinker, highlight them, to to Edit at the top, hit copy, go to Microsoft Word and make a new sheet, go back to Edit, hit paste, now have a Word copy of Clinkers article in my computer and can print it out easily. As I've said previously, I will put all these aticles in a book, have it published and sell it for millions and millions and
The only weapon that I want to see on the coin is a white bird on the rail. We had 38 white birds and one blue bird. Ignore me for I am flashing back. Due to my ineptitude I almost had to give up my seat. If not for my lying about if I had my seat belt fastened , I had jeopraized the whole sihip and probably lost the whole war. It was true!!
