An interesting coin issued by Larissa Phrikonis with a horned female figure on the obverse and the head of a bull on the reverse. Province, City: Aeolis, Larissa Phrikonis Mint: Larissa Phrikonis (4th century BC) Obverse: Horned female head of river god facing slightly right, wearing necklace Reverse: ΛΑ, Head of bull facing slightly right References: SNG München 563-564; Klein 339; Weber 5563; Traite II-2, 2067; Imhoof p. 282 in ZfN XX
Kyzikos, Mysia. AE civic issue. 2nd-1st centuries BC. 10mm, 1.91 g. Bull's head right. / KY above, ZI below monogram ΡΔI within wreath. BMC 154.
This is the only bull that I have. L Thorius Balbus 105BC AR Denarius, Rome Mint 3.89g Head of Juno in goat skin, R/ Bull charging.
I don't have a lot of bulls on coins. This is my earliest, with a bull on the right facing a lion on the left. Lydia, Croesus trihemiobol, 585-586 BC. The books say there is a bull on the reverse. Perhaps, with a great deal of imagination. Drachm of king Skandagupta, western provinces, bull type, 11 mm, 2.0 g; King, right/Humped bull seated right, in Brami: PARAMABHAGAVITA SRI SKANDAGUPTA DRAMACLITYA; 455-480 AD. Mitchner ACW 4879-4882 On further examination, it looks to me less like a bull than Bullwinkle in a chair.
In line with the thread title @-monolith- chose for this thread re: taking a bull by the horns, I want to share my Seleucus I example below due its reverse... and also due to the story behind the reverse. Presuming history recorded it correctly without too much exaggeration, the story is told that Seleucus once saved the life of his boss, Alexander III "the Great", by somehow wrestling a bull down that had broken loose from its bindings and was headed straight toward Alexander as he was sacrificing at an altar. (Perhaps he did so by taking the bull by the horns!?!?) But regardless, that's how Seleucus came to be associated with a charging bull – as depicted on this bronze which bears Seleucus’ name and Alexander’s portrait.
GELA, SICILY Æ Trias OBV: Bull standing right, head lowered; ••• (mark of value) in exergue REV: Head of young river god right, hair flowing; barley grain behind Struck at Gela, Sicily, 420 - 405BC 3.55g, 17mm Jenkins, Gela 506 and 520; CNS 17; SNG ANS ex Agora Auctions ex, Roma Numismatics, ex Mark Christenson Collection THESSALY, TRIKKA AR Hemidrachm OBV: Youth, petasos and cloak tied at neck, wrestling forepart of bull right REV: Forepart of horse galloping right; T-PI-KK-A-I around; all within concave incuse Circa 420-400 BC 2.7g, 17mm SNG Cop 265 ex: JAZ Numismatics THRACE, PANTIKAPAION AE18 OBVERSE: Head of Pan left REVERSE: P-A-N, head & neck of bull three-quarters left. Struck at Pantikapaion 400-300BC 4.0g, 18mm SNG BMC Black Sea 890 PHOKIS, FEDERAL COINAGE AR Triobol OBVERSE: Bull’s head facing REVERSE: Laureate head of Apollo right, Φ-Ω before, lyre behind Struck at Phokis 357-346 BC 2.50g, 14mm SNG Cop 121
Here're more bulls.... Lucania, Thurium, tetradrachm (double nomos), 443-400 BC. 15.47 grams Julian II, "The Apostate", double maiorina, Antioch, 360-363 AD. 9.24 grams Finally, not a coin at all but instead a Roman bronze figurine, purchased from Harlan Berk a couple of years ago. Circa second century AD. 140.06 grams
