Elephants on Roman coins -- including my RR Denarius No. 37

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by DonnaML, Oct 30, 2020.

  1. benhur767

    benhur767 Sapere aude

    Does anyone know, what was the earliest ancient coin to depict an elephant? What about the last depiction of an elephant on a coin from antiquity? A depiction of an elephant could include an elephant-skin head dress. So for example, there are Constantinian coins minted at Carthage c. 290s AD showing a goddess wearing an elephant-skin head dress and holding an elephant tusk. Any depictions of elephants (or elephant parts) on coins after that era?
     
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  3. FitzNigel

    FitzNigel Medievalist

    I don’t know, but after discussing the Mauryan empire in class, one of my students bought a Karshapana with a lovely elephant punchmark in it (and now I need to find one myself...). I’m sure there are earlier depictions though from the Ptolemies or Seleucids.

    I have no Roman elephants to share - my only elephant coin is this guy:
    Anc-05-BA-iee-Menander I-SCH-28E.jpg
    Kingdom of Bactria
    Menander I Soter, r. c. 165/55-130 B.C.
    AE Square Chalkos, 13.13 x 13.34 mm x 2.3 grams
    Obv.: BASILEWS SWTHR MENANDROU around Elephant head right with trunk raised, wearing bell around neck
    Rev.: Kharosthi around Club of Herakles; monogram to left, A to right
    Ref.: Bopearachchi 28E, SGCV 7616
     
  4. FitzNigel

    FitzNigel Medievalist

    Wait, I lied! I forgot about my fouree:
    01-R2-Caesar-FR-DE-01.jpg Roman Imperatorial
    Julius Caesar, r. 49-44 B.C. (49 B.C.)
    Traveling Mint in Gaul, Fouree Denarius, 18.32mm x 3 grams
    Obv.: CAESAR in exergue, elephant right, trampling on serpent
    Rev.: Simpulum, sprinkler, axe and apex (emblems of the pontificate)
    Ref.: SRCV 1399
     
  5. DonnaML

    DonnaML Well-Known Member

    Instead of beginning a new thread, I've decided to revive this one from four months ago to post my new elephant coin -- my fifth ancient coin to depict an elephant (after the coins of Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius, Antoninus Pius, Septimius Severus, and Philip I that I posted in the OP), and a type I've wanted for a long time. I was inspired to finally make the purchase a couple of weeks ago (from a German dealer in Cologne, just to show how much I wanted it!), after @Orfew posted his own very nice example. It arrived last night -- soon after I got home from getting my second Pfizer vaccine shot down at the Javits Center, so a nice reward! -- after only two weeks. A lot better than the last time I ordered a coin from Germany, last summer, when the package took more than two months to get here.

    This coin also happens to be my first of Titus as Augustus; the ones I already had were all from his time as Caesar. I like the portrait on this coin almost as much as I like the elephant.

    Titus (son of Vespasian) AR Denarius 80 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate head right, IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M / Rev. Elephant walking left, TR P IX IMP XV COS VIII P P. RIC II-1 Titus 115 (2007 ed.); RIC II 22a (1926 ed.); RSC II Titus 303; BMCRE 43; Sear RCV I 2512. 18 mm., 3.12 g. [This type is believed to have been issued in celebration of the opening of the Colosseum.]

    Titus - elephant reverse - jpg version.jpg

    Some apparently believe that because of the rounded shape of the elephant's ear on this coin, it's intended as a portrayal of the now-extinct North African elephant.

    If anyone has acquired any ancient elephant coins in the last few months that they'd like to show, or any other such coins that you haven't already posted in this thread, please do so!
     
    Last edited: Feb 20, 2021
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  6. Orfew

    Orfew Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

    Wow Donna, that is a superb coin! I absolutely love it. The toning is just lovely. It reminds me of another Titus denarius I have and love.

    RIC 554 [VESP] Ex: E.E. Claim-Stefanelli
    Titus RIC 554.jpg
     
  7. marchal steel

    marchal steel Active Member

    A beautiful coin Donna; the tusks stand out and the detail of the obverse head stands out very well.
    I'm super glad you're doing okay from your shot. Hopefully we'll all be okay soon.
     
    DonnaML likes this.
  8. DonnaML

    DonnaML Well-Known Member

    Thank you. So far, so good. I wish the same opportunity offered to everyone as soon as possible.
     
  9. DonnaML

    DonnaML Well-Known Member

    A very beautiful coin.
     
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