Let's see your lions

In addition to mythological animals on ancient coins, I love the depiction of lions:



HADRIAN 117 - 138 A.D.
AV Aureus (7.15 g.) Rome ca. 134 - 138 A.D. RIC II --- cf. 298g
HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P bare head of Hadrian r. Rev. Africa, draped, wearing elephant-skin headdress, recl. L, r. hand on neck of lion stg. L. grain ears behind

I've often wondered if some ancient citizens thought that lions were also mythological creatures, having never seen them in person.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Roar!




Erin

 

I have the bookend obverse and reverse for TIF's Velia coin:


Lucania, Velia
AR Stater, 300-280 BC, 7.32g, 21mm, 4h.
Obverse: Helmeted head of Athena left, helmet decorated with wing; K behind neck guard, Φ before neck
Reverse: Lion standing left; above, triskeles between Φ and I; uncertain mark below.
References: Williams 463 (O232/R326); HN Italy 1307; SNG ANS 1385; SNG Copenhagen 1583; SNG Lockett 562; Boston MFA 161; McClean 1464 (all from the same dies).
Fine style, signed by Philistion.
Purchased in 1988.

Lions and lion subassemblies are one of my favorite collecting themes.

Bruttium, Rhegion
Æ Hemiobol , 425-415 BC, ?g.
Obverse: Facing lion's head.
Reverse: PH, two olive leaves with three olives.
References: SNG ANS 680; SNG Copenhagen 1939.


Bruttium, Rhegion
AR Tetradrachm 415/410-387 BC, 17.12g, 22.6mm.
Obverse: Lion’s scalp facing
Reverse: Rhegion before laureate head of Apollo right, olive branch behind.
References: Herzfelder 102 (D60/R87) citing 5 specimens from this die combination, BMC Italy p.375, 25, Sear 501.
Ex 1980s Collection sold to James Beach


Sicily, Leontini
AR Tetradrachm, 450-430 BC, 17.18g
Obverse: Fine archaic style laureate head of Apollo right.
Reverse: Lion head right surrounded by four barley corns, LEONTININ around.
References: SNG ANS 247.


Kings of Thrace. Lysimachos.
305-281 BC. Æ 21mm 5.1g. uncertain mint.
Obverse: Helmeted head of Athena right.
Reverse: Lion running right; caduceus, monogram, and spearhead below.
References: Müller 76; SNG Copenhagen 1153-4

One of my all time favorites:

Islands off Ionia, SAMOS, AR Didrachm, 6.57g, 310-300 BC.
Obverse: Lion scalp
Reverse: NANISKOS, Forepart of an ox charging right, SA, olive spray.
References: Barron 22,6. HGC 1229.
Ex Jean Elsen Brussel V, 1981
Very rare.

John

 

I'm from Europe where heraldic lions are rife as the badge of one's country. Often since medieval times, when the Fables of Aesop were standard spiritual nourishment, and real lions were encountered by crusaders.

In the 19th century, this symbolism was felt very deeply and attractively used in coinage. These coins, a Belgian cent and a Dutch 2 1/2 cent, are small copper change.



Earlier, we had the Leo Belgicus, the 16th century map that symbolized the Dutch Protestant resistance against the tyrant, the Spanish Catholic king Philip II.



This fantastic Baroque map was published by Claes Jansz. Visscher in 1609.

Here is a 14th century gold lion, issued by Louis de Male. Not mine, alas.

 

What I do have, are a few islamic dynasty lions. Seljuk lions are very impressive, much more so than these of the Qarakhanids, a dynasty (980-1210 AD) of Turkic people who settled in the former Sogdian area (Silk Route) in what is now Uzbekistan more or less. Powerful, but all the time fighting internecine wars, there are hundreds of great and little emirs with different titles, no single ruler can be named that was really great.

This coin is called 'fals', the word is derived from the Roman follis. The Qarakhanid fals can be quite attractive, a large and thin coin. Most of these were only calligraphic, but there are some with pictures, like a sword or a fish. Here's one with an animal often described as a lion. It is surrounded by broken chains. Often these coins are very worn and damaged, and my moth-eaten one is no exception.
You usually see coins issued around 1000 AD, but this one is from the much rarer middle period.



AE fals Qarakhanids, Jabrail b. Umar b. Yusuf, Bukhara 494 AH = 1100 AD. Obv. lion with chains. Rev. triangle with hollow sides. 25 mm, 3,47 gr. Kochnev 1346.

 

Two Mamluk bronze coins, about 14th century, with vague and misty lions, both about 17 mm and 2.2 grams:

 

I have a thing for lions from the city of Miletos


MILETOS, IONIA
AE10 4th Century BC
Lion walking left, head forward, Monogram MI to left. AΛI above.
Sun/star.
Ashton/Kinns, 2003: 6pl. 1B Numismatic Chronicle
2.2 grams, 12mm
Ex stevex6 collection
Extremely rare, 1 of 3 known


MILETOS, IONIA
AR Hemidrachm 352-325 BC
Proxenos, magistrate
Laureate head of Apollo left
Lion standing left head right star above. Monogram in front. Magistrate name in exergue.
Deppert Lippitz 65
1.6 grams, 11mm
Ex Numismatik Neumann Auction 40 lot 265


MILETOS, IONIA
AE11 353-323 BC
Laureate bust of Apollo right
Lion standing right looking back at Sun.
Kinns, 1986: 251-252
1.01 grams, 11mm

 

The Shahi silver has a bull ad horseman but the matching AE are elephant and lion.
c. AD 870-1000


Leo I could not resist the pun on this Constantinople AE4.


I have no idea why Aurelian put the lion on this scarce antoninianus.

 

I always thought the lion in the third century is the badge of the Fourth Legion.

 

Here's a Soghdian coin with a mountain lion, 6-7th century. 17 mm, 1.53 gr. That's a tamgha on the reverse, a sort of badge for a tribe or country.



And a Soghdian coin of Vardanzi, near Bukhara, with Nestorian cross. Very interesting, this Christian branch that far to the East. Also with a lion. 16 mm, 0.87 gr.

 

And there's one type of lion that should be treated also, that of Venice. If you enter the Piazza San Marco from the water, you see the Winged Lion of St. Mark atop the great column on your right. And rightly it is on many of the Most Serene Republic coins and medals of medieval and early modern times. Here are a few.



AR soldino, Venice, Giovanni Dolfin (1356-1361). Obv. Kneeling Doge with staff. Rev. Lion of St. Mark carrying a baner. 16 mm, 0.55 gr.



AE token Venice. Tessera for paying ducal tolls (‘pedaggi doganali’). Type ‘Androcles and the Lion’. 13th-14th cent. Obv. Lion of St. Mark with book, four flowers. Rev. Androcles and the Lion, 8 bizanti. Vanni circa nr. 240. Cat. Tessere mercantili 1101-2. 24 mm, 5.50 gr.