Myrina was one of the twelve cities that comprised the Aeolian League. Aeolia was a region that covered the west coast of Asia Minor. However, the word, “Aeolia,”  More »

Myrina was one of the twelve cities that comprised the Aeolian League. Aeolia was a region that covered the west coast of Asia Minor. However, the word, “Aeolia,” is not a geographical term. Instead, it refers collectively to the cities founded by the Aeolians, a branch of the Hellenic people. This coin was minted in Myrina during the 2nd Century B.C. Believed to have been of some importance during Hellenistic times, Myrina was located northeast of Kyme and was overshadowed by its more important neighbor. The Greek inscription, “MYRINAIWN,” translated as “Myrinaion” means “of” or “belonging to the people of Myrina.” How many hands have touched a coin in your pocket or your purse? What eras and lands have the coin traversed on its journey into our possession? As we reach into our pockets to pull out some change, we rarely hesitate to think of who touched the coin before us, or where the coin will venture to after us. More than money, coins are a symbol of the state that struck them, of a specific time and place, whether currency in the age we live or an artifact of a long forgotten empire. This ancient coin is more than an artifact; it is a memorial to the glories of an ancient city passed from the hands of civilization to civilization, from generation to generation. - (C.0402)   « Less

According to Thucydides, the colony of Gela was founded in 680 B.C. by Rhodians and Cretans. It was located on a fertile plain near the mouth of the river Gela, for which the  More »

According to Thucydides, the colony of Gela was founded in 680 B.C. by Rhodians and Cretans. It was located on a fertile plain near the mouth of the river Gela, for which the city was named. In the late sixth and early fifth centuries, the city flourished under the tyrants Hippokrates and Gelon, until Gelon seized Syracuse and moved part of the Geloan population there. The influence of Syracusan coinage is immediately evident in the obverse of this tetradrachm, which depicts the racing biga, its charioteer crowned by Nike, which had by this time become a standard type on Syracusan coins. The biga of the obverse might also refer generally to the Geloan aristocracy, which was known for its horse- breeding and equestrian abilities; the city was also famous for its cavalry, which the large number of coins produced in this period may have been intended to pay. The man-faced bull, which is the main coin-type of Gela in the fifth century, is a standard type for the Greek river god Acheloos, but here as elsewhere it probably represents the local river god. Its frontal eye in the profile head and highly patterned beard are characteristic of Archaic art. How many hands have touched a coin in your pocket or your purse? What eras and lands have the coin traversed on its journey into our possession? As we reach into our pockets to pull out some change, we rarely hesitate to think of who touched the coin before us, or where the coin will venture to after us. More than money, coins are a symbol of the state that struck them, of a specific time and place, whether contemporary currencies or artifacts of a long forgotten empire. This stunning hand-struck coin reveals an expertise of craftsmanship and intricate sculptural detail that is often lacking in contemporary machine-made currencies. This coin is more than an artifact; it is a shining vestige of a powerful city’s ancient glory passed from the hands of civilization to civilization, from generation to generation. - (C.2038)   « Less

The island of Samos sits in the Eastern Aegean Sea, not far from the coasts of Asia Minor (modern Turkey), where the ancient Greek culture of Ionia flourished. The  More »

The island of Samos sits in the Eastern Aegean Sea, not far from the coasts of Asia Minor (modern Turkey), where the ancient Greek culture of Ionia flourished. The development of the island was aided by its strategic location at the maritime crossroads that linked mainland Greece to the wealthy merchants of the East. The name, Samos, probably derives from the Phoenician words meaning, “a place somewhere high.” Historically, the island has been known by several other names including Parthenia, Imvrasia, Anthemis, Dryousa, Doryssa, and Phyllas. The earliest settlers belonged to the Pelasgic tribes that spread the worship of the goddess Hera. Hera was believed to be the protector of the island where, according to mythology, she was born on the banks of the river Imbrasus under a very old willow tree. How many hands have touched a coin in your pocket or purse? What eras and lands have the coin traversed on its journey into our possession? As we reach into our pockets to pull out some change, we rarely hesitate to think of who might have touched the coin before us, or where the coin will venture to after it leaves our hands. More than money, coins are a symbol of the state that struck them, of a specific time and location, whether contemporary currencies or artifacts of a long forgotten empire. This stunning hand-struck coin reveals an expertise of craftsmanship and intricate sculptural detail that is often lacking in contemporary machine- made currencies. This ancient coin is a memorial to the glory both of the island of Samos and the greater Ionian region passed from the hands of civilization to civilization, from generation to generation that still appears as vibrant today as the day they were struck. - (C.2049)   « Less

Magnesia-on-Maeander was an old Ionian city once located on the river Maeander, which is now silted up. The city was founded in the eighth century B.C. by Greek colonists  More »

Magnesia-on-Maeander was an old Ionian city once located on the river Maeander, which is now silted up. The city was founded in the eighth century B.C. by Greek colonists from Magnesia in Thessaly. They sought a new life in Ionia away from the overpopulation and poverty that ran rampant in mainland Greece at this time. In the seventh century the city was refounded as a trading colony of Miletos. The city, which commanded the resources of a rich river valley, was normally under the domination of foreign powers from the late seventh century on. The Magnesians were subject to Lydian and Persian kings during the seventh and sixth centuries BC. In antiquity, Magnesia was famous for its sanctuary of Artemis Leukophryene. This large religious structure was redesigned in the third century B.C. by the Greek architect, Hermogenes. The temple was highly praised in the ancient world and had a profound impact on Roman architecture. It provided some of the laws of proportion for Ionic buildings that Vitruvius outlines in his architectural manual. How many hands have touched a coin in your pocket or your purse? What eras and lands have the coin traversed on its journey into our possession? As we reach into our pockets to pull out some change, we rarely hesitate to think of who touched the coin before us, or where the coin will venture to after us. More than money, coins are a symbol of the state that struck them, of a specific time and place, whether contemporary currencies or artifacts of long forgotten empires. This stunning hand-struck coin reveals an expertise of craftsmanship and intricate sculptural detail that is often lacking in contemporary machine-made currencies. This coin is a memorial to an ancient city passed from the hands of civilization to civilization, from generation to generation that still appears as vibrant today as the day it was struck. - (C.2048)   « Less

The land of the Paeonians, originally including the whole Axius (Vardar) River valley and the surrounding areas, in what is now northern Greece, Macedonia, and western  More »

The land of the Paeonians, originally including the whole Axius (Vardar) River valley and the surrounding areas, in what is now northern Greece, Macedonia, and western Bulgaria. The Paeonians, who were probably of mixed Thraco- Illyrian origin, were weakened by the Persian invasion (490 B.C.), and those tribes living along the Strymon River (in western Bulgaria) fell under Thracian control. The growth of Macedonia forced the remaining Paeonians northward, and in 358 BC they were defeated by Philip II of Macedonia. The native dynasty, however, continued to be highly respected: about 289 BC, King Audoleon received Athenian citizenship, and his daughter married Pyrrhus, king of Epirus. Under the Romans, Paeonia was included in the second and third districts of the province of Macedonia. By AD 400, however, the Paeonians had lost their identity, and Paeonia was merely a geographic term. How many hands have touched a coin in your pocket or purse? What eras and lands have the coin traversed on its journey into our possession? As we reach into our pockets to pull out some change, we rarely hesitate to think of who might have touched the coin before us, or where the coin will venture to after it leaves our hands. More than money, coins are a symbol of the state that struck them, of a specific time and location, whether contemporary currencies or artifacts of a long forgotten empire. This magnificent coin is a memorial to the ancient glories of a forgotten kingdom passed down from the hands of civilization to civilization, from generation to generation. - (C.2070a)   « Less

The ancient city of Pherai, modern Velestino, was one of the most important cities in Thessaly. The site of the city had been occupied since Neolithic times (ca. 3000 B.C.)  More »

The ancient city of Pherai, modern Velestino, was one of the most important cities in Thessaly. The site of the city had been occupied since Neolithic times (ca. 3000 B.C.) and Pherai thrived until the beginning of Imperial Rome’s power (ca. 1st Century A.D.). Stylistically, the portrait of Hekate, the Goddess of Witchcraft, is based upon the coins minted in Larissa depicting the nymph of the same name. These coins, among the first minted in Thessaly, were in turn influenced by the portraits of the nymph Arethusa from the coins of Syracuse. This type, introduced by the famous die-engraver Kimon in the last decade of the fifth century, was imitated by numerous mints in Greece and even in Persia and became the stereotypical type for nymphs, as useful in Thessaly as in Sicily. Thessaly was a country of fertile plains which provided excellent grazing ground for its cattle and horses. The region was particularly famous for it’s well-bred horse and fierce cavalry, depicted on the reverse of this coin. How many hands have touched a coin in your pocket or purse? What eras and lands have the coin traversed on its journey into our possession? As we reach into our pockets to pull out some change, we rarely hesitate to think of who might have touched the coin before us, or where the coin will venture to after it leaves our hands. More than money, coins are a symbol of the state that struck them, of a specific time and location, whether contemporary currencies or artifacts of long forgotten empires. This stunning hand-struck coin reveals an expertise of craftsmanship and intricate sculptural detail that is often lacking in contemporary machine- made currencies. This magnificent coin is a memorial to the ancient glories of Pherai and greater Thessaly passed down from the hands of civilization to civilization, from generation to generation. - (C.2068)   « Less

Aspendos was a Greek colony and strategic port and naval base in Persian territory, on the river Eurymedon in Pamphylia. There were no coins issued in the area until c. 460  More »

Aspendos was a Greek colony and strategic port and naval base in Persian territory, on the river Eurymedon in Pamphylia. There were no coins issued in the area until c. 460 B.C., after which Aspendos struck large numbers of coins on the Persian weight standard, widely used in western Asia Minor. Beginning about 400 B.C., Aspendos issued a new series of staters, which were struck to the end of the fourth century. These depict wrestlers on the obverse and a slinger on the reverse. The types are unusual for their detailed depiction of full-length bodies in active athletic poses. It has been suggested that the slinger was chosen for the similarity of the Greek word for sling, sphendone, to the name of the town. In the right field of the reverse is the city's badge, the triskeles, three human legs connected in a wheel-like formation, which had occupied a more prominent position on the obverse of earlier Aspendian coins. How many hands have touched a coin in your pocket or purse? What eras and lands have the coin traversed on its journey into our possession? As we reach into our pockets to pull out some change, we rarely hesitate to think of who might have touched the coin before us, or where the coin will venture to after it leaves our hands. More than money, coins are a symbol of the state that struck them, of a specific time and location, whether contemporary currencies or artifacts of a long forgotten empire. This magnificent coin is a memorial to the ancient glories of Aspendos passed down from the hands of civilization to civilization, from generation to generation. - (C.2220)   « Less

Mysia was an ancient district in northwest Anatolia (modern Turkey) adjoining the Sea of Marmara on the north and the Aegean Sea on the west. A vague inland perimeter was  More »

Mysia was an ancient district in northwest Anatolia (modern Turkey) adjoining the Sea of Marmara on the north and the Aegean Sea on the west. A vague inland perimeter was bounded by the districts of Lydia on the south and Phrygia and Bithynia on the east. Mysia designated a geographic rather than a political territory and encompassed Aeolis, Troas, and the region surrounding the great city-state Pergamum. Homer mentioned the Mysians (for whom the region was named) as primitive allies of the Trojans, but historically there is no record of their action as an independent nation. Mysia was ruled successively by Lydia, Persia, and Pergamum, after which it was incorporated into the Roman province of Asia (129 B.C.). How many hands have touched a coin in your pocket or purse? What eras and lands have the coin traversed on its journey into our possession? As we reach into our pockets to pull out some change, we rarely hesitate to think of who might have touched the coin before us, or where the coin will venture to after it leaves our hands. More than money, coins are a symbol of the state that struck them, of a specific time and location, whether contemporary currencies or artifacts of long forgotten empires. This stunning hand-struck coin reveals an expertise of craftsmanship and intricate sculptural detail that is often lacking in contemporary machine- made currencies. This magnificent coin is a memorial to the ancient glories of Parion and greater Mysia passed down from the hands of civilization to civilization, from generation to generation. - (C.2225)   « Less

Maroneia was founded by colonists from the isle of Chios on the southwestern slopes of Mt. Ismaros, in the mid-7th century B.C. Maroneia was a farming and trade center that  More »

Maroneia was founded by colonists from the isle of Chios on the southwestern slopes of Mt. Ismaros, in the mid-7th century B.C. Maroneia was a farming and trade center that reached its zenith in the 5th century B.C. and, together with Abdera and Aino, was considered the most prosperous city-state in Thrace. According to tradition, the mythical founder of the city was Maron, a priest of Apollo. In the Odyssey, Homer describes Maron's hospitality and the gifts that he offered to Ulysses. Famed for its fine wines, mythology relates the legend that Odysseus got Polyphemous, the Cyclops, drunk on red wine brought from Ismaros. The region was also well known for the fine steeds bred there, thus explaining the relevance of the iconography of this coin. How many hands have touched a coin in your pocket or purse? What eras and lands have the coin traversed on its journey into our possession? As we reach into our pockets to pull out some change, we rarely hesitate to think of who might have touched the coin before us, or where the coin will venture to after it leaves our hands. More than money, coins are a symbol of the state that struck them, of a specific time and location, whether contemporary currencies or artifacts of a long forgotten empire. This stunning hand-struck coin reveals an expertise of craftsmanship and intricate sculptural detail that is often lacking in contemporary machine- made currencies. This ancient coin is a memorial to the glory of Maroneia, to the city’s fine wines and well-bred horses, passed from the hands of civilization to civilization, from generation to generation that still appears as vibrant today as the day it was struck. - (C.2292)   « Less

Thasos is an island in the north Aegean Sea, off the coast of Thrace, which contained prolific gold mines during ancient times. Archilochus described Thasos as " an ass's  More »

Thasos is an island in the north Aegean Sea, off the coast of Thrace, which contained prolific gold mines during ancient times. Archilochus described Thasos as " an ass's backbone crowned with wild wood," and the description still suits the mountainous island with its forests of fir. Besides its gold mines, the wine, nuts and marble of Thasos were well known in antiquity. The island was colonized at an early date by Phoenicians, probably attracted by its mines Thasus, son of Phoenix, is said to have been the leader of the Phoenicians, and to have given his name to the island. During the 7th Century, the island became increasingly Hellenized, through contact with the Greeks who began settling along the coastal regions of Thrace. Thasos also enjoyed controlling interest in several silver mines on the Greek mainland, a testament to the enormous wealth and power of this island. In 492 BC, Thasos fell to the Persians during the Ionian revolt. After the defeat of Persia by Athens, Thasos joined the Delian League. Later, the island would come under Roman control. How many hands have touched a coin in your pocket or purse? What eras and lands have the coin traversed on its journey into our possession? As we reach into our pockets to pull out some change, we rarely hesitate to think of who might have touched the coin before us, or where the coin will venture to after it leaves our hands. More than money, coins are a symbol of the state that struck them, of a specific time and location, whether contemporary currencies or artifacts of a long forgotten empire. This stunning hand-struck coin reveals an expertise of craftsmanship and intricate sculptural detail that is often lacking in contemporary machine- made currencies. Today, the gold mines and marble quarries of Thasos have all been depleted. However, this silver drachm is a stunning memorial to the golden age of this ancient island. - (C.4067)   « Less