Dolphins can be scary when they are not on a coin......

As a high school freshman (40 years ago) we used to surf at Moonlight beach in Encinitas California. One day some very large aquatic animals shared the water around my surf board. My friends on the beach all jumped to their feet and began pointing at me. Of course, this scared the bejeebers out of me. My wetsuit made me look like a seal dangling in the water & all I could think was “shark”. I cuddled atop my board and kept very still (waiting for God knows what to happen).......

(stock photo)
The aquatic animals were dolphins and I’m here today to tell the story. Anyone got a coin with a dolphin on it? How about a pod of dolphins? Please post ‘em if you got ‘em.

 

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I think this may be my favorite coin with a dolphin on it.



CORINTHIA, Corinth
AR Stater ca. 400 B.C.
8.29 grams, 21 mm
Obv: Pegasos w/ artfully pointed wing
flying left
Rev: Head of Athena left wearing
Corinthian helmet, porpoise above
and palmette behind.
Grade: aVF with beautiful toning and
unusual fine style on both obverse
& reverse. Athena, porpois, and
palmette are strong. Pegasos is
softly struck possibly from worn dies
Other: Ex Christies Oct 1983 lot #25
From Dr Salslow coins Nov 2011.



This two-dotter coin from Thasos uses the dolphins as the main device:


THRACE, Thasos
AR Obol
435 - 411 B.C.
0.50 grams, 8 mm
Obv: Two dolphins swimming
Top dolphin to rt bottom to left
with pellet above & below
Rev: Quaripartite incuse punch
Grade: a VF
Other: Rosen Collection 146, Lockett 1224, Ex (Lewis Egnew Collection) Superior 30 May 1995 lot 7224, Ex Harlan Berk, Private sale Dec 2014

 

What you need is an attack eagle to keep you safe from those evil dolphins


Istros Drachm
4rth Century BCE

 

Surfer cow-

THRACE, Byzantion
AR Siglos (drachm)
340 - 320 B.C.
5.30 grams, 16 mm
Obv:Heifer standing left on dolphin swimming to left. Archaic Greek monogram (yΠ)[Y] above
Rev:Incuse granulated mill-sail pattern.
Grade: gVF or better with sharp strike on good silver fabric. (yΠ)[Y] Monogram above Heifer shows complete ligate (yΠ) with the final [Y] off the flan.
Other: Surfer Cow Coin or boogie board bovine purchased from Sphinx Canada in May 2014. Ex Forum Numismatics

 

One dolphin, as requested:

 

This coin appears to commemorate the invention of the jet ski.

 

THRACE, ISTROS
AR Drachm
OBVERSE: Facing male heads, the left inverted (Polydeuces Castor and Pollucs (AKA Dioskuri)
REVERSE: Sea-eagle left, grasping dolphin with talons; ISTRIH above, Q between wing and tail, K beneath dolphin
Struck at Istros, 400-300BC
5.3g, 19mm
AMNG 434

SPAIN, ARSAOS/SAGUNTUM
AE Sextan
OBVERSE: Scallop shell
REVERSE: Dolphin right, three pellets above, script below (resembling D/|\\IS)
Struck at Saguntum, Mid 2d Century BC
4.12g, 18mm
Sear Greece I, 27

AGRIPPA
AE As
OBVERSE: M AGRIPPA L F COSIII - Head left, wearing rostral crown
REVERSE: No legend - Neptune standing left, holding dolphin and trident; S C across fields
Rome 37-41 AD
11.0g, 28mm
RIC58, BMC 161, BN77, C3

VITELLIUS
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: A VITELLIVS GERM IMP AVG TR P, laureate head right
REVERSE: XV VIR SACR FAC Tripod, raven below, dolphin above
Struck at Rome, Apr/Dec 69AD
2.9g, 19mm
RIC 109, BMC 39, S 2201

 

Roman Republic
Anonymous issue
Aes Grave Triens , Libral Standard
46mm, 90.3g, (OH! and 9.3mm THICK!)
280-276 BCE
Rome Mint
Obv: Thunderbolt; •• •• across field.
Rev. Dolphin right; •••• below.
Ref: Crawford 14/3; Haeberlin pl. 39, 7-10. Thurlow & Vecchi 3; Sear 538

 

My newest one:


Syracuse
Tyrant Gelon 458-478 BCE
AR Tet 24mm 16-7g
Slow Biga Victory above
Artemus-Arethusa 4 dolphins
Sear-Greek 914.JPG
Ex: @Ancientnoob

 

I'd be worried if I were in the way of these dolphins!

 

Hey! A cow skateboarding a dolphin!


Thrace Byzantion AR Half-Siglos bull-dolphin-incuse 340-320 BC - o-r.JPG
Ex: @John Anthony

 

Taras stater


Syracuse 4dr


Thasos AR fraction 0.4g (hemiobol?)

 

Fantastic coin Alegandron, jeez you would get a tired arm just holding that.

 

Very nice dolphin coins dougsmit, is that Thasos fraction one of the very earliest examples from that region?

 

i have some little dolphins also...

 

Nice dolphins, coin-gang!!

I also have a bunch of cool examples ...

 

Thank you! It is a great one to hold. Rivals the largest of the AE Ptolemies... And mine is only a THIRD of an As of that time!