Bargain Bin Griffin

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Bing, Aug 19, 2017.

  1. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    For less than $20, I picked up this bargain bin coin with a reverse of a Griffin (funny looking as it is). It's nothing to write home about, but for the money I couldn't pass it up. An added plus was this is the first coin I have minted in this city:
    PHOKAIA, IONIA.jpg
    PHOKAIA, IONIA
    AE12
    OBVERSE: Female head left, hair in a sphendone
    REVERSE: Head of griffin left
    Struck at Phokaia, ca 350-300 BC
    12mm, 1.86g
    BMC 91-93; SNG von Aulock 2135; SNG Cop 1031-1033; SNG Leipzig 1206; SNG Tuebingen 3121-3122

    Post your coins from Phokaia or coins with a griffon/dragon
     
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  3. Jwt708

    Jwt708 Well-Known Member

  4. Pishpash

    Pishpash Well-Known Member

    That is a great griffin :)
     
  5. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

    Pretty fabulous for the price!

    Based on the gaping mouth seen on almost every depiction of a griffin, they must be very loud and annoying creatures. SCREEEEEEEEEEEEE!

    I think there's one living down the hill from me. (nope, just a very loud macaw)
     
  6. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    Excellent Griffin and GREAT price!

    I only have a couple Griffins:
    Sicily Kainon AE Tetras 20mm 6.7g Griffin - Horse Prancing SNG COP 133.JPG
    Sicily Kainon AE Tetras 20mm 6.7g Griffin - Horse Prancing SNG COP 133

    WOW, it even reminds me of ...
    upload_2017-8-19_11-22-49.png
     
  7. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    Nice one! I really like it. Nothing from Phokaia here, but I have a few griffins...

    Teos tetartemorion.
    IMG_9245.JPG

    Abdera drachm.
    IMG_3620.JPG

    L. Papius denarius.
    IMG_5771.JPG
     
  8. ro1974

    ro1974 Well-Known Member

    [​IMG] nice buy
     
    Curtisimo likes this.
  9. Sallent

    Sallent Live long and prosper

    Well, I can think of far worse ways to spend $20. Not bad at all. I think the Griffin is cool.
     
    coin_nut and Curtisimo like this.
  10. Kentucky

    Kentucky Supporter! Supporter

    Are you sure that's not Foghorn Leghorn? :)

    fog.jpg
     
  11. Ed Snible

    Ed Snible Well-Known Member

    nw4QS2gA95YyG3jZ6dPcFf28WC5xNp.jpg
    PANTIKAPAION AE Tetrachalkon, 21mm, circa 314-310 BC.
    Obv: Head of old Pan right.
    Rev: ΠΑΝ; Legend around forepart of griffin left, sturgeon below.
    Anokhin Bosporus 111.

    In The First Fossil Hunters: Dinosaurs, Mammoths, and Myth in Greek and Roman Times Adrienne Mayor suggests the features of the griffin were inspired by fossil dinosaurs. This Pantikapaion coin depicts a griffin with a dinosaur-like neck spine similar to the neck on Bing's example from Phokaia.

    This coin has nice relief. A few years ago I took a class in NYC by Gerald Marks on producing decent 3D images using an ordinary flatbed scanner. I brought along this coin and scanned it. If you have red/green 3D glasses please use them for the following images:
    pantikapaion.jpg p_closeup.jpg
     
  12. randygeki

    randygeki Coin Collector

    Nice!

    Hers mine :(

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    Multatuli, Justinokay and Mikey Zee like this.
  13. Jovian363

    Jovian363 Well-Known Member

    I like griffins, and the one in OP is quite cheerful and expressive, great find. Here is a non-numismatic, the Pannonian Avars belt-buckle griffin from 6th-7th century. The Avars used the griffin imagery very frequently, I do not know why.... AvarGriffonBeltBuckle.jpg
     
  14. Johndoe2000$

    Johndoe2000$ Well-Known Member

    Nice, this guy looks to be a little, upset though. (to be subtle)
     
  15. Mikey Zee

    Mikey Zee Delenda Est Carthago

    What a great price for a terrific 'Griffith'.....and so many wonderful posts!!!!
     
  16. Topcat7

    Topcat7 Still Learning

  17. Terence Cheesman

    Terence Cheesman Well-Known Member

  18. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    Please provide the details of this coin. It is very nice.
     
  19. Terence Cheesman

    Terence Cheesman Well-Known Member

    It is a tetradrachm from Abdera minted circa 475-450 B.C. Magistrate is Mega weight is 14.59 grms and reference is May 101 abdera2.jpg
     
  20. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    It is absolutely stunning. I need to watch for one of these. At least your griffin doesn't look like a cartoon character.
     
  21. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    I was disposing of some old unopened mail which included a couple of coin auction catalogs just about 10 minutes ago. I turned to the back of one of them, and immediately recognized your coin...

    00IMG_9250.jpg

    It's a marvellous specimen... congrats!
     
    Curtisimo, Johndakerftw, TIF and 2 others like this.
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