Medusa. The only immortal of the 3 gorgonian sisters. An innocent rare beauty turned victim of a lustful God, turned again into a MONSTER! With fangs like a wolf and hair made of live poisenous snakes she can freeze a man with a glance. Arnold Böcklin (1827-1901), Medusa, c. 1878. Mysia, Parion. Civic issue. Ca. 500-475 B.C. AR drachm (13.69 mm, 3.12 g). Facing Gorgoneion / Complex multiple incuse punch design in roughly cruciform pattern. SNG Cop. 256; Asyut 612. Near VF, lightly toned; To the ancients she was, in my limited scope and perception, an allegory to man overcoming the unnatural, spiritual and EVIL Caravaggio Head of Medusa after 1590; Oil on canvas mounted on wood; Macedon, Neapolis AR Obol. Circa 500-480 BC. Gorgoneion with protruding tongue / Quadripartite incuse square. Traite II 1, 1742, pl. 55, 17. BMC p. 84, 13; SNG ANS 423. 0.65g, 8mm. Extremely Fine. Fine late archaic style. Her demise is the ultimate coming of age/love story: Boy hears of girl. Travels far to find her. Boy finds girl. Girl attempts to get boys attention. Boy beheads girl and becomes a man. The ultimate man. Perseus to be exact. Perseus with the head of Medusa, Benvenuto Cellini (1554) (Perseus in 3-D) Pontos. Amisos c 85-65 BC. Bronze Æ, 30mm., 18,18g. Helmeted head of Athena right, helmet decorated with griffin / AMIΣOY Perseus standing holding harpa and head of Medusa, at feet, body of Medusa, monograms to both sides.VF Sea 1166-76 (same). And now to moderns she has been reinvented as an icon to man's tyranny over the fairer sex. It's only taken 3,000 years or so but Medusa is sexy again! Though she's always been alluring to me. Early on I thought I would try to collect every type of gorgonian coin... Then reality set in and I realized I needed to collect the ones that sang to me (and within my budget). This one did just that a few weeks ago. Fangs, snake hair, tongue sticking out! Talk about a bad @$$ B... Or should I say bad @$$ G?! THRACE, Apollonia Pontica After 450 BCE. AR Reduced Drachm (14.38 MM 2.31 gm). Head of Gorgon facing, tongue protruding / Anchor with crayfish. SNG.BM.162. aXF Ex: InAsta Please show off those undead beastly beauties, stories or whatever you've got Gorgon!
I'm always going to be jealous of that fantastic, messily-struck Amisos. Pretty Medusa: ROMAN REPUBLIC AR Denarius. 3.95g, 18mm. Rome mint, 72 BC. Crawford 395/1; Sydenham 790; Cossutia 1. O: Head of Medusa left, winged and entwined with serpents; SABVLA upwards behind. R: Bellerophon riding pegasos right, hurling spear; control mark X behind, L COSSVTI C F below. Scary Medusa: ROMAN REPUBLIC AR Denarius. 4.03g, 18mm. Rome mint, 47 BC, L. Plautius Plancus, moneyer. Crawford 453/1c; CRI 29a; Sydenham 959b. O: L.PLAVTIVS, facing mask of Medusa with disheveled hair. R: Aurora flying right, holding a palm branch and conducting the four horses of the Sun; PLANCVS below.
Cool write-up and pics @Ryro ! And your coins are fantastic! Nice captures... Few of my Medusa / Gorgon / Metus... METUS Etruria Populonia 3rd C BCE AR 20 As 8.1g Metus Blank HN152 This is MEDUSA's REVENGE... The HEADLESS PERSEUS! Pontos Amisos Mithradates VI 109-89 BC AE 28 Athena Perseus Medusa Head Body With Snake Heads Ionia Klazomenai 480-400 BC AR Drachm Pentobol 3.5g 13mm Forepart winged boar r gorgoneion incuse sq Cf SNG Copenhagen 12 Rare
My gorgon: LESBOS, Mytilene. Circa 521-478 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (11mm, 2.51 g, 11h). Gorgoneion / Incuse head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin headdress; rectangular punch to left. Bodenstedt Em. 19.1; HGC 6, 944. VF, lightly toned. I wish I had more gorgons, it is a really great type to show off to non-collectors especially.
Nicholas, Your Gorgon really looked enraged ! The incuse head of Herakles on the reverse is a nice addition. Great coin .
Thanks @zumbly! That lovely Medusa is to die for...or KILL for! All my gorgons are of the hideous type. One more for my must have list right there. @Alegandron, Medusa's revenge!!! LOVE it! And your Metus reminds me of Sloth from the goonies for some reason... Man O man @Nicholas Molinari, that beauty just leaves me speechless. A true show stopper right there. And the incuse Herakles, get outa here! BEAuuuutiful And thanks for the excellent additions @Sallent. I forgot to add my Syracusan gorgon! Here she is with some friends: SICILY KAMARINA ONKIA GORGONEION OWL LIZARD EULE LIZARD BRONZE 17 MM 2.6 gr AE°SXD1990 Former: lorddeibi6 PONTOS, Amisos 85-65 BCE AE 21 Aegis with Gorgon's head / Nike standing holding palm. SNG.BM.1177. VF+, green patina SICILY KAMARINA ONKIA GORGONEION OWL LIZARD EULE LIZARD BRONZE 17 MM 2.6 gr AE°SXD1990
LOL, laughing my Roman As off!!! I used to do the Sloth Laugh for my kids when they were wee lasses, as they loved the Goonies! We actually lived near Astoria, OR when the movie was being produced. GORGON MAKEDON Philip III Arrhidaios 323-317 BCE Æ 1-2 Unit 17mm 4.2g Miletos mint Makedonwn shield Gorgoneion - Helmet bipennis K Price 2064
Plautius Plancus, 47 BCE Amisos (under Mithridates VI), after 88 BCE Seleukos I (306-281 BCE), Sardes mint (not clear the obverse head is Medusa, but it might be) Apollonia Pontica (450-400 BCE)
Great Medusa additions @Ryro . Here is my Medusa head. PONTOS, Amisos. Time of Mithradates VI Eupator. Circa 85-65 BC. Æ 21 Dia.: 21 mm Wt.: 7.3 g Obv.: Aegis. Rev.: Nike advancing right, holding palm; monograms flanking. Ref.: RG 44; cf. Callataÿ pl. XLIX, D; SNG BM Black Sea 1177-1179. Ex Arnoldoe Collection I got to see the Caravaggio Medusa last year when I visited the Ufizzi Gallery and the Perseus while in Florence. It was really neat.