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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;AdamsCollection, post: 3886656, member: 104174&quot;]One of the most famous, and tourist attracted Ancient Greek civilizations was in Akragas Sicily. On the island of Sicily just off the toes of Italy grew a great city. At its best, the city held an estimated 300,000 citizens. The great city had its own walls, multitude of gates and a plethora of outstanding temples, buildings, and ruins. It remains a beautifully crafted city, that is miraculously still standing today. </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1026019[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>I wish to take a vacation to visit the city, and explore its ruins for myself. I have always seen the images from Akragras and been blown away by the immensity of the structure. Surrounded by the living remnants of ancient people, to visualize first hand what it might have been like to be there at its prime. I have always wanted to visit this place, so I was excited when I recently acquired my first coin from this great city. </p><p>[ATTACH=full]1026032[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>The coin I got was listed unidentified, but I saw the resemblance of a crab on the reverse. I took the risk of knowing odds are I was not actually seeing a crab, or a coin from akragras but I bit the bullet and bought it. Now the interesting thing about Akragras coinage is that most of their coins depict and feature crabs. This is because of a river that flowed very near to the city which allegedly is what gave the city its name.&nbsp; They used the crabs from the river as the cities mascot, or symbol. This is why I had my hopes up for something special initially. Akragras has some beautiful coins, As you can see some of the silver coinage from Akragras is completely jaw dropping.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1026038[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>This coin is a truly stunning coin, one I will likely never get the privilege to own myself.&nbsp;&nbsp; This coin is seriously detailed and has a lot going on. Truly an incredible specimen. </p><p>--Akragas, Sicily. Circa 414-413 BC. AR Tetradrachm. A-K-Ρ-A-Γ around a pair of eagles standing right on the upturned body of a dead hare; the nearer eagle, with closed wings, head reared, beak wide open; the further, flapping its wings and lowering its head to tear at the prey / AKΡAΓANTINON around a crab with open claws seen from above; below, Skylla swimming left, her right hand raised to shade her eyes.SNG ANS -.</p><p><br /></p><p>Akragras also had beautifully simplistic coin designs, as in this coin. [ATTACH=full]1026039[/ATTACH]</p><p>Sicily, Agrigentum AR Didrachm. ca 500-490 BC. AKRA, eagle standing left / crab. Jenkins Group II.</p><p><br /></p><p>Now the coin I have is not silver, but bronze and much more worn, although scarce. I was ecstatic to find out my intuition was right, and I positively identified my new coin as an Onkia from Akragras. It is a slightly small coin just 1.8 grams but still impressive to me, finally owning a piece of that great city I hope to someday visit. </p><p>[ATTACH=full]1026041[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1026042[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>My coin features an Eagle head facing right, which I personally have never seen an ancient coin which depicts just the head of the eagle, usually the entirety of the eagle is shown, I found this to be a very interesting aspect of the coin, and on the reverse you see the trade-mark Akragras crab within a dotted circle. Here is a nicer example of the coin so you can get an idea of what it &#039;should&#039; look it.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1026043[/ATTACH] </p><p>Akragas, Sicily. Circa 425-406 BC. AE Onkia. Eagle&#039;s head right / Crab. SNG ANS 1104ff.</p><p><br /></p><p>So, fellow forum posters and readers, I ask, do you have any coins from certain locations you have always wanted to visit? Or coins from your favorite city or area? I&#039;d like to see what others are proud of owning! What coin&#039;s origin city would you want to visit the most and why?[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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