Griffins as representations of Nemesis.

Fantastic griffins everyone!

My favourite, though hardly anicent, Griffin. It doesn't only show a Griffin as the main heraldic element, but the coin itself was called a griffin as well (DENARI SIMPLEX NOMINAT GIRFONUS):



Duchy of Brabant, Maximilian of Austria as regent for Philip the Fair. Silver Giffon/Griffioen (1487-1488, Antwerpen or Mechelen).

 

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I find it interesting that the characteristics of Pax and Nemesis were combined in one deity, apparently on more than this occasion. I wonder what the rationale was for combining those two.

 

Thanks. I read your earlier post. I knew that Ovid was exiled to a town on the Black Sea, but had no idea that it was Tomis.

I'm familiar with letters of the Greek alphabet in the field signifying the denomination (i.e., the numbers of assaria) for coins of Marcianopolis and Nicopolis, also in Moesia Inferior, so I don't know why it didn't occur to me for my coin from Tomis in Moesia Inferior. (The dealer's description put Tomis in Thrace, but I changed it based on the information in RPC. Oddly, RPC makes no mention of the denomination, or the significance of the Delta.)

Judging from the coin you showed, I guess one knows Nemesis by her wheel, no mater what form she takes.

You should be able to find a nice griffin/wheel coin, although clearly they're not common compared to coins with griffins in general.

 

Perhaps the most unobtrusive but ubiquitous depiction of a griffon is on virtually every silver denarius for the first 50 years of its coinage. Can you find it on this cornucopia symbol denarius?

 

Thats a great immage on the reverse, i dont see many. Now I want one.... Its the story and history thats as much of a seller as the great immage. Facanating.

 

Is that supposed to be a griffin wing on Roma's helmet, with some sort of stylized representation of the griffin's head above it? I've seen other coins where the griffin's head is easier to see. But I've also seen Republican coins with a small griffin on the reverse, to the lower right of the horses. I just can't find one on this coin. Instead, I see something that looks like a corncucopiae.

 

Close, Nearly on the mark. Roma's helmet crest is made up of a griffin. What looks like "spikes" on the back of the helmet are representation of the tufts on the back (usually depicted on the neck) of the griffin.

 

Here is my griffon symbol denarius. The griffin is usually almost unrecognizable as such except on the finest specimens. So technically, there's a griffin on both sides of the coin.

Even the best examples sometimes require some interpretation. Here is a better one sold by CNG (Not My Coin)

 

Very nice examples posted in this thread.

Here's probably the best griffin in my collection, acquired from CNG some time ago, as I recall.

Thrace, Circa 520-492 BC
AR Oktadrachm
Abdera
Period II
Magistrate EP.. EΠ
Griffin seated left, foreleg raised, EP before / Quadripartite incuse square.
Cf. May 48; SNG Lockett 1109; SNG Spencer-Churchill 96
Toned good VF
Some light old scratches on reverse.
Rare
29.3 grams



Here are my notes for this coin:

Comprising denominations larger than those being struck by any other mint at the time, with the sole exception of the regal Macedonian coinages and those of the Bisalti, these ‘medallic’ pieces are probably to be associated with the payment of tribute to the Persians during their occupation of the Thracian coast. This theory is corroborated by the presence of large numbers of octadrachms in hoards found within the territories of the Achaemenid Empire where they are far more plentiful than in their region of origin.

 

Interesting. I had never thought of the wing on Roma's helmet as that of the griffin on the crest, but I suppose it could be interpreted that way.

 

Yes I found this interesting as well. The reverse on my coin was used for Claudius on both denarii and aurei.

I also find it interesting that snakes play a prominent role in religion to this day. I am thinking specifically about the southern USA.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nemesis

 

@DonnaML.......That's a lovely coin!....Really like the two tone colours which gives the coin some 'Zing'! Only one in my collection...
Ionia, Phokaia, c. 350-300 BC. Æ (15mm, 4.36g, 11h). Phokleon, magistrate.
Obverse..Head of Hermes facing left wearing a Petasos hat tied at the back.
Reverse..Forepart of a griffin springing left. ΦΩKAEΩN (PHOKAEON), name of the magistrate below.
SNG Copenhagen 1039ff (magistrate); BMC 101.

 

I like the contrasting colors too! Do you think that results from partial cleaning, or is it "natural"?

 

Not really sure but it does look as if someone has tried to take off the green in some areas at least, for example just behind the rump of the Griffin and a small section in front. Also behind the portrait....But I hasten to add that this doesn't deter from the coin AT ALL!....It's a really sweet looking coin, quite a big chunk too!....One thing I do like is when zooming in on the head of the Griffin there's some great facial detail which is a real bonus!......Great catch!....Paul

 

Interesting Griffin post! I have a few on ancients, but the most recent is a small scale weight from Genoa.


Italian States GENOA 12 Lira coin weight
Obverse: Genoan coat of arms: two Griffins holding a shield between them with crown on shield. The Griffin are standing on a mantle. Letters to left and right: OTTAVO GENOVA (Eighth Genoa). The M below (in ex) could be an assayer’s mark or mint mark.
Reverse: blank with adjustment marks

3.16g. 19.1mm.
This weight is 0.2633 grams per Lire. Several other weights on line have about the same weight.

 

Really nice topic!

Great coins, thanks for sharing

Here are some of mine....
One from 1793 Genoa
other from Phokaia 600-550 BC

 

That's one fierce griffin head on the bottom coin! Interesting that the form is already established so early, and stays pretty much the same up to modern times.

 

Thanks The Griffin/ Dragon/ Chimaera/ Eagle/ Lion have been a mainstay of coinage from the archaiac period to present. Also these are symbols for coat-of-arms/ heraldic emblems/ military might. My favorite is still the Habsburg Double-Headed Imperial Eagle.

 

I enjoy seeing the artwork on your coins. I saw a 96L coin when I was looking to describe my scale weight. The coat of arms is on several coins and weights from Genoa.

The city of Genoa in a woodcut from the Nuremberg Chronicle, 1493... wikipedia

 

Amazing griffins everyone. Thank for sharing

A griffin and a sphinx are quite similar, the winged androsphinx and the winged griffin only differ by their heads; apart from that, they both have a lion body and bulging teats. This hybrid lion-eagle creature was a symbol for strength, power and earth and aerial dominion.

There are also coins of Marcus Aurelius, Antoninus, Severus, and others (http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=nemesis) with two Nemesis, maybe representing that Nemesis has two personalities: on one hand she is the goddess of fair distribution and on the other hand the avenger, sometimes called Adrasteia (the unyielding). This could also be an interpretation for the use of two griffins like the ones on the @rrdenarius coin from Genoa.