Show us your lions

I know we’ve had lion threads in the past but we have a lot of new members and I thought it would be fun to revisit the topic. Here are my lions. They’re not new acquisitions—I’ve posted them before. I’ve just repackaged them a little with a new design. I likely will not be adding any coins to my collections in the foreseeable future. Instead I’ll be appreciating and reexamining the coins that I already have. I don’t know why lions came to mind but their fearlessness is something I could use more of.

 

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Here a few of my lions/ a lioness/ a skinned lion head/ and a lion with a growth (wart) on his nose

 

I always admire your designs and presentation. I will add Hercules for the courage to wrestle lions.
C. Poblicius Q.f., 80 BC, AR Serrate Denarius, Rome mint
Obv: Helmeted and draped bust of Roma right; F above
Rev: Hercules standing left, strangling Nemean Lion; club at his feet, [F above bow]
Ref: Crawford 380/1; Sydenham 768; Poblicia 9

 

Classical Viminacium Reverse with Bull & Lion
Sestertius of Trajan Decius and Trebonianus Gallus

 

Shahis of Ohind AE Jital of Vakka Deva around 870 AD
Diameter 18mm and 1.9 grams.
Obv. Elephant facing left with the name "Sri Vakka Deva" above in Nagari.
Rev. Lion to the right with gaping mouth, tongue out and one front paw raised. Diamond symbol in the rump.

 

Cool poster! May these lions bring you courage.


Caracalla, AD 198-217.
Roman provincial Æ assarion, 1.92 g, 15.4 mm, 2 h.
Moesia Inferior, Nicopolis ad Istrum.
Obv: MAP AV K ANTΩNIN, bare head, right.
Rev: NIKOΠOΛITΩ / ΠPOC IC, lion advancing right.
Refs: Varbanov 3007; Moushmov 1111; AMNG 1599.



Septimius Severus, AD 193-211.
Roman Provincial Æ (diassarion?) 17.7 mm; 4.06 g.
Thrace, Philippopolis.
Obv: ΑV Κ Λ CΕVΗΡΟC, laureate and draped bust right.
Rev: ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΠΟΛΕΙΤ-ΩΝ, lion walking left; ox's head before.
Refs: Moushmov 5274 var. (lion walking right); Varbanov 1305.


Julia Mamaea, AD 222-235.
Roman provincial Æ 19.7 mm, 5.54 g.
Thrace, Deultum, AD 222-235.
Obv: IVLIA MAMAEA AVG, diademed and draped bust right.
Rev: C F P D, lion walking right.
Refs: Moushmov 3624; Varbanov 2382; BMC --.


Julia Domna AD 193-217.
Roman provincial Æ 23 mm, 11.12g.
Moesia Inferior, Nikopolis ad Istrum, legate Aurelius Gallus, AD 201-203.
Obv: IOVΛIA ΔOMNA CE, draped bust right.
Rev: VΠ AVΡ ΓAΛΛOV NIKOΠOΛITΩN ΠΡOC ICTΡON, Magna Mater (Cybele) riding lion right, holding scepter and tympanum.
Refs: H&J, Nikopolis 8.17.31.1; Varbanov 2894 (same dies); AMNG --; Moushmov --; SNG Copenhagen --; BMC Thrace --; Lindgren --; Mionnet --.

I never let an opportunity pass to show my LION QUADRIGA!


Julia Domna, AD 193-217.
Roman AR denarius, 3.30 g, 19 mm, 6 h.
Rome, 21st emission, AD 205.
Obv: IVLIA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: MATER AVGG, Julia Domna, as Cybele, seated left in quadriga of lions and holding branch in her right hand.
Refs: RIC 562; BMCRE 48; Cohen/RSC 117; RCV 6592; Hill 759; CRE 354.

And where there's Cybele, there's bound to be lions:


Faustina II, AD 147-175/6.
Roman orichalcum sestertius, 23.49 g, 29.0 mm, 11 h.
Rome, AD ca. 174-176.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: MATRI MAGNAE S C, Cybele seated right, holding drum in left hand on left knee; to left and right of throne, lions, seated right.
Refs: RIC 1663, BMCRE 932-935; Cohen 169; Sear 5281; MIR 25; ERIC II 205.
Notes: One of the last lifetime issues of Faustina II. Ex-Morris collection.

 

I would say that the Tiger is the real top cat. Jaguar is the prettiest feline/ leopard most agile/ cheetah fastest. The male Lion is lazy, probably would strave in the wild, luckily the females do the hunting for him.

 

Most definitely—Thanks!

 

I also have a Viminacium piece - sestertius sized:

Herennia Etruscilla, (249-251 A.D.)
Wife of Trajan Decius

AE 28 of Viminacium, 14.2 grams

Obverse: HER ETRVSCILLA AVG, draped bust right, in staphane

Reverse: PMS COL VIM, female figure (Provincia Moesia) standing, facing left, between bull and lion, AN XII in exergue

Reference: BMC 32

 

Here are a couple:

Roman Republic. C. Poblicius Q.f. AR Serrate Denarius, 80 BCE. Obv. Head of Roma right, wearing helmet decorated with grain ears; ROMA behind, V above / Rev. C•POBLICI•Q•F; Hercules standing left, strangling the Nemean Lion; bow and quiver to left, club below; V above lion. Crawford 380/1; RSC I Poblicia 9; Sydenham 768. 20.13 mm., 3.84 g.



Philip I AR Antoninianus, 248 AD, Rome Mint, 1st Officina. Obv. Radiate, draped, & cuirassed bust right, IMP PHILIPPVS AVG/ Rev. Lion walking right, SAECVLARES AVGG, I in exergue. RIC IV-3 12, RSC IV 173. 23 mm., 3.41 g. (Games commemorating 1,000th anniversary of founding of Rome.)

 

Norman Italy - Sicily
William II, r. 1166-1189
Messina Mint, Second Copper Large Follaro, 25.28 mm x 11.2 grams
Obv.: Lion Head
Rev.: Palm tree with dates
Ref.: NCKS 372, MEC 14.425

and his little brother:
Norman Italy - Sicily
William II, r. 1166-1189
Messina Mint, Second Copper Follaro, 12.04 mm x 2.0 grams
Obv.: Lion Head
Rev.: Arabic legend “al-malik / Ghulyalim / al-athani” (King William II)
Ref.: NCKS 373, MEC 14.432

 

Roar!!



Pic by SA

Erin

 

Here is a "Medieval Lion"
AV Salut d'or ND struck circa 1422-30
Saint-Lo Mint mm= Fleur de lys
First Coinage
I brought this coin in to my coin club meeting, to show them that medieval coins where beautifull. I bought this as an unsold lot from Gallery 51/ surprised that it was not sold?????
Henry VI of Lancaster/ King of England/ France
This coinage was struck at a time when most of France was under English Rule/ the French Dauphin Charles VI "The Fool" as his name implied was incompetent. In the previous century/ France had suffered humilating losses on the Battlefields/ lost fifty percent of her population to the "Black Death"

 

While not an ancient coin, there is the famous trade lion daalder of the Netherlands.

This is a coin that I purchased some time ago through MA Shops from Munzenhandlung Raffler.

It is from Overijssel, and it weighs 27.2 grams, date is 1585.

 

My only 1, a recent pick up to replace the Hadrian/Lion I sold in AMCC2 ( which TIF now owns )

Gallia, Massalia,

 

This coin coin was issued after the battle of Agincourt (1415) and it is a wonderful example of late medieval coinage.

Absolutely beautiful!

 

Lions! Yes, we need courage.
Some lions are lionized:



500 BC



Celts in Gaul, 50 BC




Venice, 1400 AD




Nuremberg jeton with Venetian lion, 16th century



Two silver dirhems of the Rum-Seljugs, who conquered Asia Minor from the Byzantines, both from the year 1241 AD.

Other lions are to be vanquished.



Kesh, 6th-7th century. King kills lion.

Some lions liberated themselves.



Qarakhanids, Bukhara, 1101 AD. Rebel against the khan.

 

From an artistic standpoint my favorite "lion" type Greek coin

Mylassa Caria ca. 450-400BC : AR Hemiobol

Ox: Forepart of lion shown from above
Rx: Scorpion