Ancients => Fly Like an Eagle ...

Ancient Joe, that is the most beautiful coin I think I have ever seen!
Just out of interest .... what would a coin in that grade set me back?

 

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Akragas, eh? ... very cool eagles, gang!! (especially your beauty, A-Joe)
Ummm, well obviusly Joe's stunningly detailed winner is a pretty tough act to follow, so rather than try to pose-down beside his super-model, I'm gonna go the opposite direction and I'm gonna post a couple of the original Akragas "cast-bronze-proto-types" that may have led to Joe's ultimate prize?

The first 2 photos show the Akragas Onkia:
An eagle's head (facing left) and a crab's pincher are depicted on the obverse and reverse




The last 3 photos show the Akragas Trias (4 Onkia):
The first photo shows 4 dots (it is worth 4 Onkia) ... If you squint your eyes and think a bit like a bird, you can see the outline of an eagle in the second photo (it is facing left) ... oh, and a crab's body is the blob shown in the fifth photo






... these cast bronze coins are amongst the very first ancient bronze coins

=> 450-440 B.C. (very cool)

 

Do I get a prize for having two bald eagles on one coin?

 

Easily the best I have seen! I suppose some would rather have one with a rough surface and no double striking but this is smooth and broad. Great coin!

 

...and this example is not low grade for these, either. You can get them with two decent sides but the crab is hard without giving up the eagle. Steve is a gentleman of taste. They are not as easy to photograph, either. Mine is more average.