Inspired by the several threads on medieval coins, I post this coin of Charles VII as Dauphin before he became king. I have posted it before but it is a cool coin. I love this coin because of the toothy dolphin. Please post your coins with fish or fishlike creatures. CHARLES VII (1422-1440) DAUPHINÉ - DAUPHINS DU VIENNOIS - Denier ? dentillé n.d. Romans R1 billon (20.24 mm, 1,20 g,) Obverse : KARO-LVS - FRAn - REX Croix coupant la légende Reverse : + DALPhS [VI]EnESIS Dauphin à gauche dans un polylobe Ref : Bd.- Morinn° 71 p. 265, (pl. 16/6) PA.4963 (110/9) Roberts 6577. Purchased from Ebay November 28, 2016.
My favourite fish and my favourite dolphin. But that toothy dolphin is impossible to beat! The closest I have in medieval is a dragon. Thurium diobol, c. 443-400 BCE. ex Clain-Stefanelli. Herodotus was one of the original colonists of Thurium, which was built near the ruins if Sybaris. Agrippa (d. 10 BCE) AE as, issued under Caligula, 37-41. Chomp chomp chomp... Gian Galeazzo Visconti (1395-1402), AR grosso.
That is a fantastic piece with one of the most remarkable depictions of a dolphin I've seen on a coin.
Here is a fish with the fisherman still attached. CILICIA, Tarsos. Trajan Decius. AD 249-251. AE33, 18g Obv: [AV KAI] G MES KVIN DEKIOS TRAINANO; Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind; П П across field Rev: [TAR C]OU MHTROPO LEWC / GB / AMK; Fisherman (Dictys?) standing right, holding long pole with fish, from which is suspended a basket over shoulder, facing Perseus standing left, holding head of Medusa and harpa. SNG BN 1760 (same obv die), RPC vol. 9 #1350
I know technically they are not fish, dolphins are mammals, but I couldn't resist. I love these funny little things.
I post this denarius here because back in the days of Ancient Auction House active on eBay (who remembers them?), they often described this type as 'Fish Fry'. Always made me laugh. Titus AR Denarius, 3.31g Rome Mint, 80 AD RIC-128 (C2). BMC 78. RSC 27a. Obv: IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M; Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, r. Rev: TR P IX IMP XV COS VIII P P; Tripod with fillets; above, dolphin Acquired from York Coins, January 2005.
One day I'd like to own another one of these (or some other Akragas "crabby" coin), in a bit better grade. I didn't own this one for long, but it was a really cool coin. Lots going on in these designs. Sicily, Akragas: silver hemidrachm, ca. 410-406 BC Obverse- eagle right, clutching dead hare in its talons, barley grain behind. Reverse- Crab, with ketos (sea monster) below, swimming left with fish in its jaws. 16 mm, 1.8 g. SNG ANS 1012. Ex-Gitbud-Naumann, Germany, through VCoins store, 5/28/2014.
Hmm, I seem to be largely 'fishless' except for a 'tunny' and a couple of barely identifiable 'mammal-like' dolphins How about an anchor and crab?? Apollo is waiting for your response
FISH! China Zhou Dynasty 1046-256 BCE AE Fish Money 67mm 9.5g AB Coole Enc Chinese Coins 6920ff Sicily Akragas AE Onkia 16mm 3.8g 425-406 BCE Eagle r fish fly - Crab conch SNG ANS 1062 var Mysia Kyzikos AE12 1.2g 400-3rd C BCE Kore Soteira - Tripod crown Tunny SNG France 430 BMC 141-30
I was avoiding posting this AE25 of Maximinus from Anchialus because the central critter is a 'mammal-like' dolphin but it is flanked by two fish that are not tunny. The number of true fishes appearing on coins that are not tunny does seem to be few.
That is one scary dolphin Orfew! Really like that coin! Achaea. Corinthia, Corinth. Caracalla Æ24. Obv: Laureate, draped bust of Caracalla left. Melikertes-Palaimon. Rev: CLI COR / Melikertes-Palaimon reclining right on the back of a dolphin, pine tree in background. 24mm., 8.1 g. BCD Corinth 930. Myndos AE10 Poseidon/dolphin Obv: Laureate head of Poseidon right. Rev: Dolphin right, trident below.
MYSIA AR Hemiobol OBVERSE: Forepart of running boar left, tunny fish behind upward REVERSE: Head of roaring lion left within incuse square, star above Struck at Kyzikos, 480-450BC 0.3g, 9 mm Sear 3850 ex Saint Paul Antiques LTD
DOLPHINS not be fish, but they are FUN! RR 280-276 BCE Anon Aes Grave Triens Thunderbolt-Dolphin Rome Rev-IN HAND Crawford 14-3 Thurlow Vecchi 3 RR Lucretius Trio 76 BCE AR Den Neptune dolphin boy S 322 Cr 390-2 Sicily Syracuse 317-289 BC AE 23 Hemilitron Agathokles Kore Bull Dolphin O-R Thrace Byzantion AR Half-Siglos bull-dolphin-incuse 340-320 BC Syracuse Tyrant Gelon 478-458 BCE AR Tet 24mm 16-7g Slow Biga Victory Artemis-Arethusa 4 dolphins Sear-Greek 914