The eagle has landed

Several empresses have eagle coins. Faustina I has a few imperial issues with eagle reverses. Those of Salonina are shown above. Here's one of Otacilia Severa from Antioch:

 

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Eagle's beak has a nice intimidating hook.... the trident counter-mark adds awesomeness!!



Ptolemy II Philadelphos AE 27mm Obol. Alexandria mint, ca 274-272 BC. Laureate head of Zeus-Ammon right / Eagle standing left on winged thunderbolt; monogram and shield to left, tiny o between legs

 

The most spectacular image of eagles ever seen on a coin belong to this famous Greek decadrachm that appeared for sale in NYC, by CNG on January 4, 2012. The coin was struck in Akragas, Sicily, c. 409-406 BC, 35.5 mm, 43.41 gm, 12 h. The celators for this masterpiece were Myron, who did the chariot side, & Polykrates, who did the eagle side. The price for this coin was $2,500,000.00 , however, instead of being sold it was seized by the District Attorney Cyrus Vance, & officials from Homeland Security because it was illegally brought into the country by Dr. Peter Weiss. The pair of eagles are violently tearing apart a dead rabbit as one eagle lets out screech to the heavens. Oddly an over-sized grasshopper appears in the right field. I'm not sure of the final disposition of this coin but believe it ended up with the Italian government. If I had a choice of any coin in the world to add to my collection it would be this coin !

 

Well wow.. I don't know what to say.. I don't have the words.. but just to see it is amazing... I did not know of its existence... so Thank you!

 

Good choice!!

Some of you will not be surprised to hear that this is probably my favourite eagle:

Ptolemy III Euergetes (246-222 BC), octobol (46mm, 93.3g)

 

Here's a new one I like too, on an Alexandrian tet of Claudius II:


Great thread, thanks!!

 

Richard McAlee has suggested in his book The Coins of Roman Antioch, that the common reverse type seen on so many Tets from Antioch, of an eagle standing on an animal leg is actually an indication of it's value as a tetradrachm. I think he's right since this same theme is also seen on other Syrian Tets with the only change being what the eagle is standing on. Most of these reverse types are rather humdrum , but I managed to score one long ago that has an exceptional reverse, see photos below. It's an Antioch, Syrian Tet from the reign of Geta, circa A.D. 209-212, 14.45 gm, McAlee #719.

 

Yep! The gods loves hockey pucks:

 

Severus Alexander, That's a hefty piece of bronze ! The patina accents it well.