Ancient Coins 8/13 - Littleton Coin Company

Bits & Piecesby David SundmanAncient Roman and Greek coins have been studied byscholars for more than 600 years, and systematically so forthe last 300 years. One ancient scholar noted, “Coinageof all ages may inform us on the art, the social and politicalconcepts, the aims and achievements and the economics of thestates for which they were produced.” This observation is still true today,and now you have another five reasons to collect coins.In ancient Rome, the seahorse probablyinspired the mythical creature calleda Hippocampus. Hippo (horse)+ campus (sea monster). Whilein New Orleans, I spotted thisreference at a seahorse exhibitin the Aquarium (also aRoman word). Romansbelieved seahorses had thepower to cure baldnessand a seahorse boiled inwine was poison.Some sources describe thehippocampus as having thehead and forequarters of a horse andthe tail and hindquarters of a dolphin.Neptune's chariot was pulled through theancient seas by several of these creatures.Sometimes Neptune was seen riding one.Here’s a hippocampus appearing on the reverse of a bronzeantoninianus of Roman emperor Gallienus, issued circa A.D. 267-268 ,with a reverse legend referring to Neptune, NEPTVNO CONS AVG(Neptuno Conservatori Augusti). This roughly translates as “Neptune, thePreserver,” and was a cry for help from Gallienus to Neptune to preserveGallienus against the usurper general Aureolus, an ally of Postumus. Itdidn’t work, as Gallienus was lured to his death by his own troops,including Claudius II Gothicus, Marcianus and Aurelian, as Gallienusled them against Aureolus. Claudius became emperor in his place.44 How to Collect Ancient Roman Coins