Exotic animals are frequently displayed on coins. Romans useed to bring some for circus performance or, like in Alexandria, reproduced them on local coinage.Here are three examples. Please show your personal "zoo on coins". CAECILIA. Q. CAECILIVS METELLVS. Diademed head of Pietas r. stork before. Rev.: Elephant walking l. “Q.C.M.P.I.”inexerg. Mint: Spain ? ARD. C. 81-77 BC. (3.89gr./17mm.) RRC 374/1, BMC. Spain 43; Syd.750, Seaby RSC 43, CLAVDIVS. Laureate head r.; star before. “TI KΛY KAICEBAC” Rev.: Hippopotamus standing r.; “L E” (date) in exerg. Mint: Alexandria. Æ Diobol (24mm./ 9.87 gr, 12h). Dated RY 3 (AD 42/3). RPC I 5140; Köln 78-9; Dattari 166; K&G 12.28; Emmett 82. Good Fine,. From the Greenpoint Collection. DOMITIANVS. “IMP DOMIT AVG GERM” in center “SC”. Rev.: Rhinoceros l., Mint:Rome. AE Quadrans (12mm.2.49gr.) S920
I'm not sure which is more exotic, the gazelle on the reverse or Gallienus' crazy neck beard! Gallienus, 253-268 AD Roman Æ Antoninianus, 18 mm, 2.27 g Rome Mint 267-268 AD Obv: GALLIENVS AVG, radiate head right Rev: DIANAE CONS AVG, gazelle walking left, XII in exergue Refs: RIC 181; Cohen 165; RCV 10200; Göbl 750b.
Titus Silver Denarius Rome mint, A.D. 78-79 Obv (retrograde): T CAESAR VESPASIANVS Rev: Sow and piglets IMP XIII in exergue RIC II (New;Vespasian) 986 18mm, 2.9g.
Oh how I love it when I can share and relate my coins!- Roman Imperial Gallienus AR Antoninianus. Rome mint, GALLIENVS AVG, radiate head right / DIANAE CONS AVG, Stag walking left, officina mark XII below. Cohen 160; Goebl 0744b; Sear 10201. Gotta love the animal reverses! Thanks, Jacob
Lizards! I was totally stoked to find out that there were lizards on ancient coins because I'm obsessed with them having three of my own. This guy is a bit bigger than my guys and would probably eat them and me: Erin
Really cool animal coins guys!!! Since I have similar examples as posted, I naturally LOVE the type----and I still need to add a Rhino or Hippo example I'll pile on with two of my 'budget friendly' examples struck at Troas....featuring Tyche/wolf and Gallienus/horse----not particularly 'exotic'
Sicily just happened to have a Sea World and a Zoo... SICILY SEA WORLD: SYRACUSE 2nd Democr 466-405 BCE Æ Tetras 2.7g 15mm c.425 BCE Arethusa dolphins - Octopus 3 pellets SNG ANS 376 Calciati II.21.1 Sicily Akragas AE Onkia 16mm 3.8g 425-406 BCE Eagle r fish fly - Crab, conch SNG ANS 1062 var Syracuse Tyrant Gelon 478-458 BCE AR Tet 24mm 16-7g Slow Biga Victory Artemis-Arethusa 4 dolphins Sear-Greek 914 SICILY ZOO - with some EXOTIC animals: Sicily Syracuse ca 410 BC AE 19 Athena Wreath Hippocamp Sicily Akragas AE Trias 23mm 8.5g 287-241 BCE Beardless Zeus Hellanios 2 Eagles with hare in talons HGC 2 159 SICILY Kamarina Æ Onkia 13mm 1.5g 420-405 BCE Gorgon tongue - KAMA owl r lizard in claw pellet in ex SNG Münch 411 Sicily Syracuse Hieron II 275-269 BC AE 15 Persephone Bull RIGHT Rare Sicily Akragas Punic occup 213-210 BC AR Half Shekel 19 mm 2.9g Male head r Triptolemos wreath grain -Horse leaping r Punic Ḥ SNG COP 378 Sicily Gela AR Litra Horse-Achelous 0.63g 13mm 465-450 BCE Obv-Rev HGC 2 p 373 Sicily Kainon AE Tetras 20mm 6.7g Griffon - Horse Prancing SNG COP 133
I've posted this one before...but here goes. Heck it's so exotic it isn't even real. Winged horse, hmmm...
OTACILIA SEVERA Æ Sestertius OBVERSE: MARCIA OTACILIA SEVERA AVG, diademed and draped bust right REVERSE: SAECVLARES AVGG, SC in ex, Hippopotamus standing right, head raised Struck at Rome, 248 AD 18.6g, 30mm RIC 200a, Cohen 65 ex Warren Esty PHILIP I AE Sestertius OBVERSE: IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG, laureate and draped bust right REVERSE: AETERNITAS AVGG, elephant and driver walking left, SC in ex. Struck at Rome, 247-8 AD 20.6g, 28mm RIC 161a MYSIA AR Hemiobol OBVERSE: Forepart of running boar left, tunny fish behind upward REVERSE: Head of roaring lion left within incuse square, star above Struck at Kyzikos, 480-450BC 0.41 g, 9.5 mm Sear 3850 ARGOLIS, ARGOS AR Hemidrachm OBVERSE: Forepart of a wolf left REVERSE: Large "A", eagle below "I-E/P-W/NO-S" = Hieron (Magistrate) Struck at Argos,90-40 BC 2.25g, 15.5mm BCD Peloponnesos 1177 Ex Aegean Numismatics
Thanks, just purchased a copy for Kindle. Oh, and I think the closest I have for this thread is the snake held by Salus:
There are many animals on coins of Roman Alexandria, Egypt. Here are two large AE drachms of Hadrian (117-138), one with the river god Nilus Reclining on a tiny hippo, and one with Nilus reclining on a crocodile. 36 mm. Large! Nilus holds cornucopia and papyrus reed, reclining on a (tiny) hippo. IS above (16, for the perfect flood level of the Nile). L ΔWΔEK (year twelve) in exergue. AD 127/8. Emmett 1015. 32 mm. LIH (year 18) AD 133/4 Nilus reclining on a crocodile, holding cornucopia and papyrus reed. Emmett 1014. Sear II 3776. If you wanted to collect animals (and mythological animals) in a limited way, animals from the Alexandria mint would make a nice group.
Hadrian is a good emperor to collect for coins whose reverses contain animals. Here's a scorpion: HADRIAN 117 - 138 A.D. AE Sestertius (25.62 g.) Rome ca. 134 - 138 A.D. RIC 840 HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P Laureate head of Hadrian right. Rev. Africa, draped, wearing elephant-skin headdress, recl. L, r. hand holding scorpion, cornucopia behind.
