I guess I have been in a crabby mood lately - at least judging by my coin purchases. I am apparently not the only one - with the level of interest this coin is generating a day or two after posting. What's interesting to me about this coin is the level of detail to the point the you can identify the species that the engraver was illustrating. No shortage of interesting history. https://www.sullacoins.com/post/a-didrachm-of-akragas New Year's Resolution: don't be crabby (although that doesn't rule out more coins with crabs). Share a crabby coin, a new year's resolution - or anything else you find interesting or entertaining. Best Wishes for a Happy 2026!
I love this coin. And the detail on the crab is amazing. Photo and write-up credit to Davisson's Ltd. SICILY. Akragas. Circa 480/78-470 B.C. AR didrachm. 8.8 gm. 18 mm. Sea eagle standing right; AK above, PA below / Crab within incuse circle.
although I don't necessarily find it easy to see two different types of crabs in Westermark's die study - your crab clearly looks more rounded and less boxy than mine. Perhaps the Shore or Harbour crab discussed? "The crab on the coins of Akragas has long been recognized as a freshwater species. Dr. R. W. Ingle, Museum of Natural History, London, who – many years ago – examined a large selection of photographs of coins from Akragas found that the majority of the crabs belong to different species of the Potamonidae family (the most common being Potamon fluviatile fluviatile occuring in Italy, Greece and the Balkans).95 He found also that some coins (e.g. didrachm no. 154 in Group III and tetradrachm no. 349) probably show a marine crab, the Shore or Harbour crab (Carcinus maenas of the Portunidae family) which is typical for the Mediterrean area."
SICILY, Akragas. Æ Onkia, 16mm, 3.8g, 12h; 425-406 BC, Obv.: AKP-A, Eagle right, with head turned back; below fish, in left field, fly. Rev.: Crab, above pellet, below conch shell. Reference: CNS I 84; SNG ANS 1062 var. (obv. type left). Ex: @John Anthony Seller's Comments: On the southern coast of Sicily, Akragas (modern-day Agrigento) was one of the most important colonies of ancient Magna Graecia, boasting a population of 100,000 to 200,000 people. Akragas came to prominence during the 6th century BC, under the tyrants Phalaris and Theron. However, after the brief and brutal reign of Theron’s son Thrasydaeus, the citizens of the city opted for a democracy, which lasted until the Carthaginian sack of 406. The city never quite recovered from that, although it did experience a period of revival under the 3rd-century ruler Timoleon. Various eagle and crab types are well-known as didrachms, but they also occur in bronze. It would seem that all of the bronze issues are rare, probably because bronze does not survive the vicissitudes of time as well as silver.
I think Van Gogh is saying that underneath that hard shell is a man that feels like a crab on his back. He needs help to get right, but his hardened exterior prevents him from moving forward…or not.
I've always loved the Akragas crabs. Greece (Sicily, Akragas): ca. 425-406 BC silver hemidrachm NGC Ch F; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 3/5, Fine Style. Cert. #6956057-001. Diameter: 16 mm. Weight: 2.05 g. Ex-Münzen & Medaillen GmbH, Germany, Auction 51, Lot 93, 4 December 2024. Purchased raw. Their auction description, Google-translated to English: "SICILY. AKRAGAS. Hemidrachm, around 425-406 BC. Eagle right, crouching a hare, in the field left barleycorn. Rev. (A-)K-(PA) crab, below Ketos/Pistrix left with a fish in its mouth. 2.05 g. 16 mm. SNG ANS 1010 f., SNG Kop. 56. Winterthur 579. Very fine. Acquired from Münzen & Medaillen AG Basel on March 10, 1970."
PS- I'll say it again: if you stuck a gun to my head and told me I could only collect ancient coins from one region exclusively (excluding Rome), I'd choose Sicily.
Sounds like being forced to only drive Ferraris. I hope the guy with the gun also provides funding for a pristine decadrachm with impeccable provenance. Not my coins - but I'd collect these if required https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=12672838 Decadrachm signed by Kimon circa 405-400 https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=1390126 Decadrachm, unsigned work of My(ron) and Poly(ainos) circa 409-406 https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=9543184 Tetradrachm Agrigentum circa 420-415
Beautiful coins. At 6'5" and on the portly side I'd be in trouble if the only car I could drive were Ferraris.
I am never in a crabby mood.... I prefer this over any Ferrari Kos Is. AV 1/48 Stater ND 625-600BC Kos Mint 0.37g. 5.5mm. .750 ex: Coppersmith coll. unpublished, in 1/48 Stater (unique?)
