Pontos, Amisos ca. 100BC Aegis Gorgon AE20

[thenickelguy]

I wanted one of these types from my first jump into ancient coins and think I found a satisfactory example although it might be the most common encountered and just above average at least. I hope so, but I like it.

Pontos, Amisos  ca. 100BC (Coast of Southern Black Sea Turkey) AE20 
Obverse Aegis (skin of a slain gorgon) with facing head of Gorgon at center Reverse Nike walking right, holding palm over shoulder with both hands.
Not sure but I believe this is BMC 72

At first glance, the obverse might look like some kind of flower with a face in the center but it is far from it.

OK, that's just me maybe, silly me.

The head in the center is a gorgon. The most famous gorgon was Medusa. Upon looking into the eyes of Medusa it would turn a human to stone. What looks like petals of a dahlia type flower are actually scales of the hyde of the gorgon. 
 

[ambr0zie]

That is one of the most pleasant designs for affordable ancient coins (IMO).

Here is my example with the attribution I found

Bronze Æ 22 mm, 6,37 g

Pontic Kingdom, Amisos. Mithradates VI. 120-63 B.C, local civic issue of common type under Mithradates VI. 100-85 B.C. Facing Gorgonion as boss of fleece (aegis)-covered, octagonal shield / AMI-ΣOY, ethnic across fields divided by Nike, walking right, holding wreath and palm-branch; monograms in lower fields. SNG Cop.167 var; SNG BM Black Sea 1177-91; HGC 7, 242; Waddington Recueil, pg. 57, 44