Favorite coins depicting animals

I was thinking last night about what coins I really consider my favorites to simply look at, and I decided it was the ones with fairly simple, elegant depictions of animals. I think my favorite is the Irish 1p with a hen and her little chicks; the other Irish coins are very nice, too. I'm also fond of the fish on some of the Icelandic coins.

If I get a chance at home later, I'll see if I can take some pics to post.

Australia has some very pretty ones, and I also like the large New Zealand penny with a bird (a wren? I'll have to look it up) on the reverse.

Though I've sort of been collecting since I was a kid, it's only recently that I've tried to start developing a more serious, focused interest in it. I think animals is one area I'll explore further.

Does anyone else have any animal coins favorites?

 

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Some of the Chinese coins depicting dragons can be awesome (do the animals have to be real??). And, of course, the buffalo on the Buffalo nickel, especially the Type 1 on the raised mound. I also like the Australian kangaroo on their large pennies. The Gobrecht Flying Eagle design is another inspiring design, especially on the early dollars.

 

Aliens!

I like the alien cow driving the lunar rover on the 'Moon Penny' issued in the early 70s. pic attached

 

The Buffalo Nickel...no doubt

 

Hmmm...interesting.

What is it?




and re: Buffalo nickels--they are great, but since I'm so familiar with U.S. coins, it's harder for me to step back and compare them to the coins of other nations. I think that if I weren't so familiar with the eagles on the backs of quarters, I'd really admire them.

The caribou on the Canadian quarter is another great one, but since I've seen so many of them, they don't really occur to me.

 

Definitely the BUFFALO NICKEL

 

Definitely the BUFFALO NICKEL for me! I think it's the most beautiful coin I've ever seen. And one of the most artistic.

 

You have the buffalo,we have the beaver. There were also animals featured on all the 1967 coins

 

Aussie Coins

Thankx for recognizing the Australian Coins.
There are a number of beautiful coins and commeratives recognizing
Kangaroos, Kookaburras, Lizards, Gliders, Echidnas, birds, platypus, penguins, whales- I could keep going on but then you would see that if I listed them all it would be the attendance roster for a Zoo

I would post links but there are just too many.

If you have an interest in any specific animal, Australia honoured Let me know and I will
try to post the coin for you

 

I forgot my alltime favourite coin - the 1 oz. silver eagle.

Bill

 

Bluegill,the bird on the New Zealand 1d. is called the tui (or parsonbird,because of the distinctive tuft
of feathers on its throat.).The tui's call is very distinctive,as it sounds like a bell.It is often seen feeding from the flax flowers in Summer.The tuft of feathers is white,whereas,the rest of the feathers are black.

One of the most attractive coins that I have seen depicting animals is the nickel 5c. coin from Canada,
which depicts a beaver.Perhaps a member from Canada can tell us more about the beaver apart from the fact that they build dams in rivers & that a beaver's home is called a lodge.

 

Thanks--nothing like a New Zealander for the lowdown on a New Zealand coin.

Tui. Tui. Tui. That might come in useful for Scrabble, too.

 

JODY526,
Please tell me about those two silver dollars you posted on this thread. Are they pattern pieces? They are very interesting!
Thanks Dave

 

I like the Buffalo (original), as well as the eagle on the Walking Lib half.

I also like the Canadian nickel.

The reindeer on the old Irish pound was great, also.

 

Patterns?

Jody526, I would like to buy a couple of rolls of the coins you posted, they are beautiful. How about some info on them?

 

The coins are patterns.
The first is William Barber's "Amazonian" design for the silver dollar.
The second is George Morgan's "Schoolgirl" dollar.
Both are widely considered as being among the most beautiful US coin designs.

Amazonian Link

Schoolgirl Link

 

Thank You Very Much Jody,
That is a very cool site, I'll be spending hours there!!
Dave

 

Patterns

Thanks Jody, I guess I can't afford a roll of them, but If I win the powerball, one WILL be mine.