World Coins With Ancient Themes

[Curtisimo]

I’m a fan of many of the modern(ish) coin designs from around the world.  Especially the ones showing ancient themes. Let’s see some here... extra points if they direct copy an ancient design. 
 

The coins from Greece (pre-Euro) are a lot of fun. 
 

Homer

 

Aristotle

 

Solon

 

...and of course, Alexander the Great!

 

This one is technically US but please indulge me... 

 

LET’S SEE UM!!!!

Edited May 31, 2022 by Curtisimo

[Ryro]

Dast!!

You beat me to the modern ATG:

Here's one my wife and I still laugh about..."Concordia" and then they shake hands instead of, oh, idk, kissing or...

Also, a rad Mercury prepping for the race. This is what I would call a "modern fourée"

 Though there are versions of this coin in silver. The artistry is different. And you can even see the bronze starting to shine through. In the last couple hundred years someone gave this beauty a silver coating :

Edited June 1, 2022 by Ryro

[expat]

Modern Euro, ancient image

 

[shanxi]

Some modern medals showing Artemis:

Medal by Pierre-Alexandre Morlon
1878-1951
(Morlon created also the french circulating coins)

Obv: UNION FEDERALE DES SOCIETES DE TIR AUX ARMES DE CHASSE, Artemis/Diana Standing right, holding bow, dog behind, signed MORLON
Rev: CHAMPIONAT DE FRANCE
BALL-TRAP “OLYMPIQUE”
1951, 2E Prix,
ILE DE FRANCE
(original design 1931)

 

Bronze Medal 1930
by Friedrich Wilhelm Hörnlein, (1873 – 1945)
Obv: Artemis/Diana with bow and quiver, roe behind, signed Hörnlein
Rev: EHRENMÜNZE v. HUBERUS SCHIESSKINO, G. ROEDER, DRESDEB, MOSENSTR, Filmstrip with fox head, iPA LEIPZIG 1930
340 pieces made
Ref.: Arnold 245

 

 

Maklouf Elizabeth II/Artemis

Cook Islands Two Dollars, 2oz 999 Silver Year 2017, Mintage 1000 Engraver: Raphael David Maklouf, *1937 Obverse: The Effigy of HM Queen Elizabeth II, ELIZABETH II • COOK ISLANDS • 2oz 999 SILVER • 2017 • TWO DOLLARS • Reverse: Artemis in the forest at night time with stars and a large stag in the background. She is featured drawing her bow and arrow and aiming into the distance, ARTEMIS Edge: Plain/smooth AR, 62.27 g, 40.5 mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Curtisimo]

Awesome coins so far all. I have a few more but only with old photos. I’ll have to take some updated photos of my modest world coin collection but. 🙂

Myth of Europa and the bull

[AncientJoe]

Before and after a millennium of wear and tear:

Rome, AD 80-81. Oblique overhead view of the Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheater); the exterior displaying four tiers of arches, the top three containing statuary, and the interior showing spectators arrayed in sectioned seating; to the left, fountain on base (Meta Sudans); on right, porticoed building (Baths of Titus?) / IMP T CAES VESP AVG P M TR P P P COS VIII, Titus seated left on curule chair, holding branch and scroll; below, on either side, pile of arms. In field, S - C. RIC 184. Elkins 6 (A4/P6). CBN 189. Hendin 1594. 

Ex Collection Dr. Paul Hartwig, Auction MM P&P Santamaria, Rome 07.03.1910, Lot 1215

[Qcumbor]

Great idea for a thread !

Greece has some more, pre and post Euro

 

 

 

 

 

Q

Edited June 1, 2022 by Qcumbor

[Curtisimo]

8 hours ago, AncientJoe said:

Before and after a millennium of wear and tear:

Rome, AD 80-81. Oblique overhead view of the Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheater); the exterior displaying four tiers of arches, the top three containing statuary, and the interior showing spectators arrayed in sectioned seating; to the left, fountain on base (Meta Sudans); on right, porticoed building (Baths of Titus?) / IMP T CAES VESP AVG P M TR P P P COS VIII, Titus seated left on curule chair, holding branch and scroll; below, on either side, pile of arms. In field, S - C. RIC 184. Elkins 6 (A4/P6). CBN 189. Hendin 1594. 

Ex Collection Dr. Paul Hartwig, Auction MM P&P Santamaria, Rome 07.03.1910, Lot 1215

That colosseum coin! Just wow! 😳 Great addition.

15 hours ago, shanxi said:

Some modern medals showing Artemis:

Medal by Pierre-Alexandre Morlon
1878-1951
(Morlon created also the french circulating coins)

Obv: UNION FEDERALE DES SOCIETES DE TIR AUX ARMES DE CHASSE, Artemis/Diana Standing right, holding bow, dog behind, signed MORLON
Rev: CHAMPIONAT DE FRANCE
BALL-TRAP “OLYMPIQUE”
1951, 2E Prix,
ILE DE FRANCE
(original design 1931)

 

Bronze Medal 1930
by Friedrich Wilhelm Hörnlein, (1873 – 1945)
Obv: Artemis/Diana with bow and quiver, roe behind, signed Hörnlein
Rev: EHRENMÜNZE v. HUBERUS SCHIESSKINO, G. ROEDER, DRESDEB, MOSENSTR, Filmstrip with fox head, iPA LEIPZIG 1930
340 pieces made
Ref.: Arnold 245

 

 

Maklouf Elizabeth II/Artemis

Cook Islands Two Dollars, 2oz 999 Silver Year 2017, Mintage 1000 Engraver: Raphael David Maklouf, *1937 Obverse: The Effigy of HM Queen Elizabeth II, ELIZABETH II • COOK ISLANDS • 2oz 999 SILVER • 2017 • TWO DOLLARS • Reverse: Artemis in the forest at night time with stars and a large stag in the background. She is featured drawing her bow and arrow and aiming into the distance, ARTEMIS Edge: Plain/smooth AR, 62.27 g, 40.5 mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

That Artemis design is super cool! Great artistry.

6 hours ago, Qcumbor said:

Great idea for a thread !

Greece has some more, pre and post Euro

 

 

 

 

 

Q

Nice additions Q. That Corinth imitative design is fun but super abstract. 🖼 

..................

Great additions all! I also have these two that I think are fun. I really need to take a new picture of the Israeli 2 shekel (which I picked up there in pocket change).  I was experimenting with my camera phone and lighting effects.

 

[ChrisB]

Here are a few that I like.

 

Israel 1968

 

 

Italy 1915

 

Niue 2022

 

 

[Steve]

Pretty sure I gave this coin to Bing as a Secret Santa package thingy on that other coin-site ... 

=> ummm, is it ancient owl enough?

Edited June 4, 2022 by Steve

[Qcumbor]

Some italians fit the bill too

Q

[Hrefn]

The Abduction of Europa, another version.  

[Severus Alexander]

I have a few in this theme, but hardly any photos. 😞 Here's a medallion like @Ryro's - these were made to imitate Roman denarii, though actually closer to quinarius size (13mm) :

As Q said, quite a few Italian coins fit here.  (Great Concordia, @Qcumbor!) I have only one crappy seller's photo though:

(I'm sorely tempted to ammonia that coin, but it's a no-no for moderns I guess... someone tell me it's OK! 🤡)

[DonnaML]

A reverse of one of my small number of Napoleonic medals, taken directly from ancient Roman coins:

France AR Medal Peace of Luneville, 1801 Artist: Bertrand Andrieu, Minted by Paris Mint. Obv.: Bust of Bonaparte, head bare, facing right; around, BONAPARTE PREMIER CONSUL DE LA REPUBLIQUE FRAN.SE.; on bust truncation, ANDRIEU F./ Rev.: Pax standing left with olive branch in raised right hand and cornucopiae held in left arm; around, PAIX DE LUNEVILLE; in exergue, LE XX. PLUVOISE / AN IX [= 9 Feb. 1801]; on ground left in small letters, ANDRIEU F. Laskey XXI. 41 mm, 38.74 g.





For comparison purposes, here's a denarius of Octavian (not mine) from 32-31 BCE (RIC I 252), with a similar reverse design of Pax with olive branch and cornucopiae, that I found in the CNG Archives. (See https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=318332 for a full description.)




I have one coin with a Pax reverse that's also similar to the medal:

Commodus (son of Marcus Aurelius), AR Denarius 181 AD. Obv. Laureate head right, M COMMODVS ANTONINVS AVG/ Rev. Pax standing left, holding branch & cornucopiae, TR P VI IMP IIII COS III P P. RIC III 17, RSC II 806. 17 mm., 3.15 g.

[Qcumbor]

On 6/8/2022 at 4:17 AM, Severus Alexander said:

...but hardly any photos.

The pictures I've shown in this thread aren't mine. I have these coins but didn't take pictures of them. They're taken from Numista

Q

[John Conduitt]

There is of course...

Antoninus Pius As, 154-155

Britain or Rome. Bronze, 8.63g. Laureate head right; ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XVIII. Britannia seated left on rock, resting head on hand; arms in background; BRITANNIA - COS IIII around, SC in exergue (RIC III, 934).

In modern times, Britannia has been used on coins from Charles II to Elizabeth II. Here's George IV, who is also in Roman attire himself (laureate and draped). He took the facing-a-different-way-from-your-predecessor thing further, by having Britannia also facing a different way from George III, although she stayed facing right from then onwards.

George IV Farthing, 1821

London. Copper, 4.7g.  Laureate head left; GEORGIUS IIII DEI GRATIA. Britannia seated right with shield right, holding trident and spray; date in exergue below; BRITANNIAR REX FID DEF (S 3822).

[UkrainiiVityaz]

[Curtisimo]

Man there are some pretty sweet world coins shown in this thread so far. 
 

@Qcumbor beat me to the punch on the Italian 5 centesimi.  Here is my very humble example.

One of these days I really need to add its inspiration from Metapontion.

Here is a neat coin from St. Pierre & Miquelon designed by the French mint. Just like the US Mercury Dime it takes its inspiration from ancient Republican Rome.

Edited June 12, 2022 by Curtisimo

[Spirityoda]

France...

 

[Spirityoda]

Egypt King Tut...

 

[Spirityoda]

Lebanon...

 

[expat]

Egypt 1 pound King Tut and Egypt 50 Piastres with Cleopatra

 

[wittwolff]

On 6/8/2022 at 4:17 AM, Severus Alexander said:

I have a few in this theme, but hardly any photos. 😞 Here's a medallion like @Ryro's - these were made to imitate Roman denarii, though actually closer to quinarius size (13mm) :

As far as I know these where made to represent the Quinarius and was issued by Napoleon and some later monarchs to follow the ancient roman tradition to throw these into the masses on an important event (Like Napoleons elevation to the imperial title on your example)

French medals and jetons often feature interesting ancient symbolism, here some of my examples:

Kingdom of France - Jeton - 1677

Obv.: LVD XIIII D G FR ET NAV REX

Rev.: LA FLANDRE SVBIVGVEE

Personification of the Flanders sitting defeated next to trophy

Kingdom of France - Jeton - 1675

Obv.: LVD XIIII D G FR ET NAV REX

Rev.: VNVS TERGEMINVM

Hercules beating up the triple Geryon

Kingdom of France - Jeton - 1737

Obv.: LVD XV REX CHRISTIANSS

Rev.: DISCITE JUSTITIAM - ORDINAIRE DES GUERRES

Zeus throwing lightnings at the titans who try to climb the olymp

Edited July 6, 2022 by wittwolff

[Prieure de Sion]

Poseidon with trident - drawn by a 4-year-old boy in a competition for a new coin.

[Severus Alexander]

5 hours ago, wittwolff said:

On 6/7/2022 at 7:17 PM, Severus Alexander said:

I have a few in this theme, but hardly any photos. 😞 Here's a medallion like @Ryro's - these were made to imitate Roman denarii, though actually closer to quinarius size (13mm) :

As far as I know these where made to represent the Quinarius and was issued by Napoleon and some later monarchs to follow the ancient roman tradition to throw these into the masses on an important event (Like Napoleons elevation to the imperial title on your example)

Thanks, cool!  Do you have a source I can cite for that info, @wittwolff?

Edited July 6, 2022 by Severus Alexander