Hi Everyone, I hope you’re all doing good! This morning I lost my bearded dragon, Herbert. It was a terrible death. He showed no signs of being sick until his last moments. I’m just relieved that he’s not suffering anymore. I’m so grateful for the nine years I had with him. He really was a ‘Super Beardie.’ If anyone could share coins with reptiles, I’d really appreciate it. Thanks friends. You’re the best! Erin
Sorry to hear about your loss... We lost our oldest dog a couple years ago and it leaves a hole. No reptile coins, just wanted to pass along my condolences.
I'm so sorry for your loss of Herbert. I know what it's like. I'm afraid I face the same with my 16-year old cat Ziggy in the not-too-distant future.
I'm sorry for your loss. We lost our oldest cat December 2020 and our oldest dog December 2021. It was hard. But you have to be thankful for the time they gave you. I only have one reptile coin: Septimius Severus AE30 Pautalia, Thrace Obverse: AYT K Λ CEΠTI CEYHΡOC ΠEΡ, laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right Reverse: OYΛΠIAC ΠAYTAΛIAC, the serpent Glykon coiled, with radiate head right and with fish-like tail
@Johndakerftw Bummer about Herbert! Sicily Kamarina AE 15mm 3.4g 420-405 BCE Athena Owl Lizard 3 dots Sear Gk 1063 SICILY Kamarina Æ Onkia 13mm 1.5g 420-405 BCE Gorgon tongue - KAMA owl r lizard in claw pellet in ex SNG Münch 411
That's sad to hear. He looks like a thoroughly nice pet. We recently lost a cat here, Maxi, that we were all very attached to, so I sympathize with your feelings. I don't have a lizard coin. But, in Herbert's honor, I'll post another scaly dragon.
I have no lizards, I'm afraid. Just a lot of snakes/serpents. Here are some: Thrace, Apollonia Pontika [now Sozopol, Bulgaria], AR Drachm, ca. 450-500 BCE. Obv. Upright anchor with large flukes and curved stock; “A” [for Apollonia] to left and crayfish to right between flukes and stock / Rev. Facing gorgoneion (Medusa), wavy hair parted in middle, 16 thin, open-mouthed snakes around head as additional hair or crown, puffy cheeks, mouth open, tongue protruding (but not extending below chin), all within shallow incuse. Goldsborough Type 3 [Goldsborough, Reid, Apollonia Pontika Drachms (see https://web.archive.org/web/20141115000124/http://medusacoins.reidgold.com/apollonia.html), Catalogue of Types]; Seaby 1655 var. (crayfish to left, A to right) [Sear, David, Greek Coins and their Values, Vol. 1: Europe (Seaby 1978); Topalov 41-42 [Topalov, Stavri, Apollonia Pontika: Contribution to the Study of the Coin Minting of the City 6th - 1st c. B.C., Catalogue of Apollonia Coins, 7th-1st c. B.C. (Sofia, 2007) (English Translation, Kindle edition)]; BMC 15 Mysia 8-10 [Wroth, Warwick, A Catalog of the Greek Coins in the British Museum, Vol. 15, Mysia (London, 1892) at pp. 8-9]; SNG.BM.159; see also id. Nos. 154-158 [Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Great Britain, Volume IX, British Museum, Part 1: The Black Sea (London, 1993)] [online ID SNGuk_0901_0159 ]. 14 mm., 2.96 g., 3 h. Mysia, Pergamon (under Roman Republic from 133 BCE, Province of Asia), AE 19 mm., 133-27 BCE. Obv. Laureate head of Asklepios right / Rev. Bearded serpent coiled around oval Omphalos covered by net [agrenon],* AΣKΛHΠIOY downwards to right, ΣΩTHΡOΣ downwards to left [ = Asklepios Sothros or Soter, meaning “the Savior”]. BMC 15 Mysia 158 (p. 129) & PL. XXVII no. 4 [Wroth, Warwick, A Catalogue of the Greek Coins of the British Museum, Vol. 15, Mysia (London 1892)]; Sear, Greek Coins 3967 (p. 369) (ill.) [Sear, David, Greek Coins and their Values, Vol. 2: Asia & Africa (Seaby 1979)]; SNG Von Aulock I 1377 [Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Deutschland, Sammlung Hans Von Aulock, Vol. 1: Pontus, Paphlagonia, Bithynia, Mysia, Troas, Aiolis, Lesbos, Ionia (Berlin, 1957)]; SNG BnF 1803-1827 [Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, France, Cabinet des Médailles, Bibliothéque Nationale, Vol. 5, Mysia (Paris 2001)]. 19 mm., 9.91 g., 11 h. [Footnote omitted.] Roman Republic, Manius Acilius Glabrio, AR Denarius, 50 BCE (Harlan and BMCRR) or 49 BCE (Crawford), Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate head of Salus right, wearing necklace and earring, with hair collected behind in knot ornamented with jewels, SALVTIS upwards behind head / Rev. Valetudo* [Harlan says portrayal is of a statue of Valetudo] standing left, holding snake with right hand and resting left arm on column, MN•ACILIVS [downwards on right] III•VIR•VALETV [upwards on left] [MN and TV monogrammed]. RSC I Acilia 8, Crawford 442/1a, Sydenham 922, Sear RCV I 412 (ill.), Harlan, RRM II Ch. 30 at pp. 229-238, BMCRR Rome 3945. 17.5 mm., 3.98 g. [Footnote omitted.] Lydia, Tralleis/Tralles, AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm, 78/77 BCE, Magistrate ΠTOΛ (Ptol-). Obv. Cista mystica with lid ajar and serpent emerging; all within ivy wreath / Rev. Bowcase (gorytos) with two serpents (one to left and one to right, heads at top); H [= date = Year 8 = 78/77 BCE, based on Year 1 of the Sullan era being 85/84 BCE*] over ΠTOΛ [PTOL] above, between serpents’ heads, TPAΛ [TRAL] in left field; to right, Dionysos in short chiton standing facing, head left, holding thyrsos in right hand and mask of Silenos in left hand. SNG Copenhagen 662-663 var. [different year] [Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Copenhagen, The Royal Collection of Coins and Medals, Danish National Museum, Part 28, Lydia Part 2 (Copenhagen 1947)]; BMC 22 Lydia 46-48 (p. 333) var. [different years] [Head, B.V., A Catalogue of Greek Coins in the British Museum, Vol. 22, Lydia (London, 1901); SNG von Aulock 3262-3264 var. [different year] [Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Deutschland, Sammlung Hans Von Aulock, Vol. 2: Caria, Lydia, Phrygia, Lycia, Pamphylia (Berlin, 1962)]; Pinder 159 [same year -- “H”]; see also id. 157-158 [different years] [Pinder, M., Über die Cistophoren und über die kaiserlichen Silbermedaillons der Römischen Provinz Asien (Berlin, 1856) at pp. 565-566]. 24 mm., 12.64 g. [probably = 3 drachms, not 4], 1 h. Ex: CNG Auction 225 (13 Jan. 2010), Lot 144. Roman Republic, C. Memmius C.f., AR Denarius, 56 BCE [Crawford], 57 BCE [Harlan], Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate head of Quirinus right [deified aspect of Romulus and/or Italian deity worshipped on Quirinal Hill; see footnote], hair long, beard in formal ringlets, C•MEMMI•C•F downwards to right, QVIRINVS downwards to left; banker’s mark or test mark to left of Quirinus’s eye, in shape of bird? inside flower or star/ Rev. Ceres seated right, holding torch in left hand and corn ear in right hand; at her feet, snake rearing with head right; MEMMIVS •AED• CERIALIA•PREIMVS•FECIT [translated as “Memmius as aedile first held the games of Ceres” (Harlan RRM II pp. 99-100)] downwards from upper left; old graffiti resembling an “X” to right of Ceres. Crawford 427/2, RSC I Memmia 9 (ill.), Sear RCV I 388 (ill.), BMCRR 3940; Sydenham 921; Harlan RRM II, Ch. 12 at pp. 95-103; RBW Collection 1532; Jones, J.M., A Dictionary of Ancient Roman Coins (1990) [entry for “Quirinus” at p. 264]. 19.5 mm., 3.71 g. [Footnote omitted.] Vespasian AV Aureus, 75 AD (Cos VI), Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate head right, IMP CAESAR - VESPASIANVS AVG [counter-clockwise from 5:00] / Rev. Victory holding palm branch in left hand and wreath in outstretched right hand, standing left on cista mystica flanked by two coiled serpents with heads pointing upwards*, PON MAX - TR P COS VI [clockwise from 8:00]. Two small edge dents/cuts on obverse at 3:00 and 6:00 (possibly from old jewelry mount). 19 mm., 7.22 g. RIC II-1 Vespasian 775 (2007 ed.), old RIC II Vespasian 82 (1926 ed.), BMCRE 168, Cohen 370, Sear RCV I 2254 (ill. p. 431). Purchased from Arete Coins, Seattle, WA, Dec. 2021; ex. Triskeles Auctions Sale 21, Lot 392, 29 Sep. 2017; ex. Ars Classica XVIII (“COLLECTION TRÈS IMPORTANTE MONNAIES ROMAINES FORMÊE PAR UN DIPLOMATE ÉTRANGER DEPUIS LONGTEMPS DÉCÉDÉ”[Collection of Vicomte de Sartiges]), Lot 144 [ill. Pl. 6], 10 Oct. 1938, l'Hôtel Schweizerhof, Lucerne, Switzerland (Experts Dr. Jacob Hirsch & M. Lucien Naville); ex. Collection of Louis, Vicomte de Sartiges (1859-1924), published in Sartiges, Vicomte de, “Collection du vicomte de Sartiges. Séries grecque et romaine, en 1910, ainsi que les acquisitions depuis cette date” (Paris, D.A. Longuet; Plates I-XLIII published 1910; undated supplement contains five additional plates), Pl. XXVI, No. 105 [this coin, acquired before 1910]. [Footnotes omitted.] Trajan, Billon Tetradrachm, Year 15 (111/112 AD), Aexandria, Egypt mint. Obv. Laureate head right, ΑΥΤ ΤΡΑΙΑΝ Ϲ - ƐΒ ΓƐΡΜ ΔΑΚΙΚ / Rev. Serpent Agathodaemon standing erect right, crowned with pschent/skhent [the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt] , with coils enfolding caduceus upright to left and stalk of corn to right; L - IƐ (Year 15) across fields. RPC III 4586 (see https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/4586) [see also RPC 4646 (https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/4646) (same type?)], Emmett 369.15, Milne 649-650 at p. 19, BMC 16 Alexandria 391 at p. 47, Köln (Geissen) 569-572, Dattari (Savio) 700-701. Ex. Economopoulos Numismatics, Holicong PA, Oct. 2021 (Nick Economopoulos, formerly of Pegasi Numismatics). 24x22 mm., 12.25 g.* Hadrian, AE 18, Baris, Pisidia (SW Anatolia N of Lycia, near today’s Farı mevkii, Kılıç, Turkey), 118-138 AD. Obv. Laureate and draped bust right, AYT TRAI AΔPIANOC / Rev. Emperor in military dress, on horseback galloping right, brandishing javelin at serpent beneath horse’s hooves, BAPHNΩN. RPC III Online 2776 (see https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/2776) (4 specimens; 14 on acsearch); Von Aulock, Pisidiens II 236-7 corr.; SNG Copenhagen Part 32 107-108 var. (obv. legend); SNG von Aulock Vol. 3 5009 var. (same). Purchased at JAZ Numismatics Auction 195, Lot 10, 2 Dec. 2021; ex. Auktionshaus H. D. Rauch GmbH, Auction 103, Lot 107, 23 March 2017. 18 mm., 3.9 g., 6 h. [Footnote omitted.] Hadrian, Billon Tetradrachm, Year 3 (118/119 AD), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Laureate head right, drapery on left shoulder, AYT KAIC TPAIANOC -AΔΡΙΑNOC ϹƐΒ (clockwise from 5:00) / Rev. Serpent Agathodaemon standing erect right, crowned with pschent/skhent [the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt] , tongue protruding, with coils enfolding caduceus to left and stalks of corn to right; L - Γ (Year 3) across fields. RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] Vol. III 5149 (2015); RPC III Online at https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/5149; Emmett 803.3; BMC 16 Alexandria 665 (at p. 79) (1892) [ill. as RPC Vol. III 5149, specimen 2]; K&G 32.68 (at p. 118); Dattari (Savio) 1541; Milne 918 [ill. as RPC Vol. III 5149, specimen 13]; Geissen 764 [ill. as RPC Vol. III 5149, specimen 18]. 24 mm., 13.81 g., 12 h. Purchased from http://www.cgb.fr July 2021, ex. Collection of Aymé Cornu (1926-2020) (Engineer. - Head of the mass spectrometry laboratory at the Center for Nuclear Studies in Grenoble, France; see https://data.bnf.fr/fr/12598408/aime_cornu/).* [Footnote omitted.] Maximinus I Thrax, AE Sestertius, 236-238 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right, MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG GERM / Rev. Salus seated left, holding patera with outstretched right hand and using it to feed a serpent rising from an altar; resting left arm on side of chair, SALVS AVGVSTI; S C in exergue. RIC IV 85, BMCRE 175-176, Cohen 92, Sear RCV III 8338 (ill.). 31 mm., 17.58 g., 12 h.
Lizard and goose are friends. A hole that can never be filled. The letter H for Herbert. Macedon, Eion. Circa 460-400 BC. AR Trihemiobol 0.84g, 11mm Obv: goose and lizard with H
My sincere condolences for the loss of your beautiful green pal. Despite the pain of your loss of him in the now, he is always with you in your heart when you remember the good times you had. Some reptiles to celebrate your's life: And my favorite reptile on any of my coins, the mythic Greco-winged iguana: TIFFILY, Tiphonia c. 5th century BCE AR 17, 7.4 gm Obv: Forepart of winged iguana left Rev: Monogram within dotted square, incuse Ref: SNG 2, Note: Metallurgic analysis shows this unusual coin to be 99.9% pure silver yet oddly porous. Creation of and Ex @TIF collection
Serious condolences, @Johndakerftw. I lost an Anole lizard as a kid. They're very cool animals, with real personalities. I don't have any real reptiles, but here are a couple of dragons, both from the German empire in the 12th century --kind of where and when they belong. Bavaria, Duke Heinrich X, 1126-1139. Denar of Regensberg. Warrior with sword (Siegfried?) slaying a dragon to left (of which the legs, a wing, and the tail are struck up). /Heinrich standing facing, with lance /banner and long, Norman-style shield. Brabant, Landgrave Godefroid III, 1143-1190. Petit denier, 1164-1183. Dragon looking over his shoulder /cross.
I lost my two cats many years ago and there are times that I still do think of them. It is funny how these little critters find a way to enter and capture your heart. So I fully comprehend how @Johndakerftw can mourn his loss. I do not have a lot of coins featuring reptiles but I do have this one. Aegina Ar Stater 525-500 BC Obv. Sea Turtle with thin collar and with nine pellets running down its carapace. Rv. Incuse square with "Union Jack" device. anepigraphic HGC428 11.86 grms 18 mm Photo by W. Hansen
Although not an ancient, will a somewhat modern Komodo suffice? Farewell Herbert. 1994 Indonesia 50 Rupiah (Aluminum/Bronze) National Coat of Arms on Obverse Komodo Dragon on Reverse
So sorry for your loss, Erin! MACEDON, Eion AR Trihemiobol (Holed). 0.81g, 11.8mm. MACEDON, Eion, circa 460-400 BC. HGC 3.1, 521; SNG Cop 174. O: Goose standing right, head reverted; lizard above, retrograde N below bottom of goose. R: Incuse square.
So sorry about the loss of your pet, a long time companion. Time will help heal the wound. I've been down that road several times. Attica, Athens, c. 113/2 BC New style tetradrachm Obverse: Athena facing right. Reverse: Owl standing on amphora, with Triptolemos in a chariot pulled by serpents the right. Thompson ? 16.91 grams 29.5 mm, 11 h.
These are really sad news about your bearded dragon Herbert. What a cute guy he was. Have been there two times, and after that I never again wanted a pet... Don't have a bearded dragon on a coin, but a Tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus), an endangered, lizard-like reptile on a New Zealand 5 cents coin, maybe Tuataras and bearded dragons are relatives?
Sorry about Herbert. We always had cats and dogs at home when I was a kid. I just have fish now, not as much of an emotional attachment to them, I have to admit! Here are a few lizards on coins. ATB, Aidan.
Erin, I'm sorry to read about your family pet Herbert, losing a close friend can be a rough experience . I grew-up with a pet cocker spaniel named Dutchess. She was very aggressive & all the other dogs on the street were afraid of her . She liked to play rough & was a perfect companion for me . My brother Henry didn't like her so I was the one who fed her & cleaned-up her poop . I never wanted another pet after losing her .... Dutchess, me & Henry, circa 1954, Rochester, NY.