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Home , 278 BC, 302 BC, 315 BC, 367 BC, Crown, Moneta

Ancient Coin Images on Modern Coins

History of coin art can be traced consistently from ancient to modern times. Images of animals followed the first amorphous symbols. Then came the first depictions of gods and goddesses, and finally, rulers themselves appeared on their coins: after their death, at first, but very soon during their lifetime.

The following coins, however, do not primarily bear the images of sovereigns. They first and foremost show images of women: of women from ancient times, followed by their counterparts from modernity. As the comparison shows, surprisingly little has changed in the meantime…

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Kingdom of Macedonia, Alexander III the Great (336-323 BC), , 330-323 BC, Amphipolis

Denomination: Stater Mint Authority: Alexander III of Macedon Mint: Amphipolis Year of Issue: -330 Weight (g): 9 Diameter (mm): 19.0 Material: Owner: Sunflower Foundation

This stater was issued by Alexander the Great. The obverse depicts the Greek goddess wearing a Corinthian , while the reverse shows a Nike, the Greek of victory.

One of Alexander's many achievements was the establishment of a single currency in his huge realm. These "imperial coins" replaced the wide variety of local issues. Only the Romans were to achieve something like that in their empire again.

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Subalpine Republic, 20 Francs (Marengo) Year 10 (1800- 1801)

Denomination: 20 Francs (Marengo) Mint Authority: Subalpine Republic Mint: Turin or Paris Year of Issue: 1801 Weight (g): 6.44 Diameter (mm): 23.0 Material: Gold Owner: Sunflower Foundation

In 1800, the French army under Bonaparte conquered northern . After his victory, Napoleon proclaimed the Subalpine Republic in northern Italy and put it under French military administration.

Napoleon introduced the then very modern decimal franc currency to the Subalpine Republic. This 20- franc coin was the first Italian gold coin minted under the decimal system. Its obverse bore the antique goddess , the Greek Athena. The reverse gave the date, L'AN 10, referring to the French- republican calendar; after the , the coin was minted in 1800 to 1801.

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Sicily, Dionysius I (405-367 BC), Decadrachm, 405-400 BC, signed Kimon, Syracuse

Denomination: Decadrachm Mint Authority: Dionysius I of Syracuse Mint: Syracuse Year of Issue: -405 Weight (g): 43.31 Diameter (mm): 33.0 Material: Owner: Sunflower Foundation

The die for this decadrachm (piece of 10 drachms) was cut by the master-engraver Kimon, as the signature on the dolphin below the head of Arethusa on the reverse shows. Kimon, who worked approximately between 420 and 400 BC for the Syracusian mint, was one of the most famous engravers of his time. Kimon's decadrachms are considered to be among the most beautiful coins of antiquity.

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Republic of France, 5 Francs 1850

Denomination: 5 Francs Mint Authority: 2nd Republic of France Mint: Paris Year of Issue: 1850 Weight (g): 24.93 Diameter (mm): 38.0 Material: Silver Owner: Sunflower Foundation

The beautiful image on this coin of the Second French Republic can be traced back to antique Greek coins from Southern Italy and Sicily. The head belongs to the ancient goddess , who had relations to the dead in the underworld, and who was revered by the Romans as goddess of agriculture, growing plants and motherly love.

The head of Ceres with an elaborated of leaves, flowers and spikes, as shown on this modern French coin, was depicted on coins since the 5th century BC.

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Swiss Confederation, 5 Franks 1889, Berne

Denomination: 5 Franken Mint Authority: Swiss Confederation Mint: Berne Year of Issue: 1889 Weight (g): 24.99 Diameter (mm): 38.0 Material: Silver Owner: Sunflower Foundation

Im Jahr 1888 wurde für das 5-Franken-Stück ein neues Münzbild entworfen. Als Vorbild für den Frauenkopf mit und Alpenrosenkranz diente dabei das französische 5-Franc-Stück mit dem Kopf der Fruchtbarkeitsgöttin Ceres, das 1870 in Paris letztmals geprägt worden war. Das französische Münzbild wiederum griff zurück auf die herrlichen Köpfe auf den Münzen von Syrakus

KEIN TEXT AUF DER ENGLISCHEN WEBSITE !!!!!!!!!!!

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Southern Italy, Calabria, Taras, Stater, c. 302 BC

Denomination: Stater Mint Authority: City of Taras Mint: Taras () Year of Issue: -302 Weight (g): 8.61 Diameter (mm): 18.0 Material: Gold Owner:

In 315 BC, the rich city of Taras was threatened by neighboring peoples, and asked for help in . To pay the Spartan mercenaries, Taras minted coins that bore the nymph Persephone on the obverse, while the Dioscuri were depicted on the reverse; they were on horseback and holding a palm leaf and a in anticipation of victory.

This stater shows Persephone in all her beauty. She is adorned with an amphix – a –, and a ; a delicate falls from the back of her head. In , Persephone was the queen of the underworld. Four months of the year, she lived with Hades in the underworld. The rest of the time, she spent on earth with her mother Demeter. During that time, the earth flourished with vegetation and color, but when Persephone returned to the underworld, it became a barren realm of darkness ...

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Swiss Confederation, 20 Francs 1883

Denomination: 20 Franken Mint Authority: Swiss Confederation Mint: Berne Year of Issue: 1883 Weight (g): 6.47 Diameter (mm): 21.0 Material: Gold Owner: Sunflower Foundation

Republican Switzerland could not put the head of a sovereign on its coins. During the formation of the Swiss state in the year 1848, it was thus decided that Switzerland's symbol had to be the personification of the country – an idealized head, not a real portrait. The head of Helvetia (or , after the inscription on her diadem) was inspired by coins from antiquity.

The Helvetia shown on this coin looks serious and heroic, lost in reverie and removed from every day life. In her hair, she wears a laurel wreath; her face with its straight nose and high forehead is classical Greek.

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Sicily, Syracuse, Tetradrachm, c. 445-440 BC

Denomination: Tetradrachm Mint Authority: City of Syracuse Mint: Syracuse Year of Issue: -445 Weight (g): 17.32 Diameter (mm): 25.0 Material: Silver Owner: Sunflower Foundation

The coins of the ancient city of Syracuse on Sicily generally show the same motifs, in ever changing depictions, however. The obverse usually bore a quadriga, a four horse race chariot. In the time around 440 BC, the diesinkers tried for the first time to give the horses an appearance of motion by making them rear. The reverses of the Syracusian coins depicted the head of the nymph Arethusa in many different representations. On this tetradrachm, she has her hair done in a chignon on of her head.

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United , (1837-1901), 1844

Denomination: Crown Mint Authority: Queen Victoria of England Mint: Undefined Year of Issue: 1844 Weight (g): 28.26 Diameter (mm): 38.0 Material: Silver Owner: Schweizerisches Landesmuseum Dep. ZB

At the age of 18, Queen Victoria ascended to the of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Therewith, the young queen became the most powerful woman of her time. This coin shows her at the age of about 25 as a young maiden with a fashionable Greek hairstyle.

In 1877, Victoria was made empress of . She had been queen for 40 years at that time, and at the age of 58 was not a young girl anymore. Nevertheless, her coin portrait had never been changed: on her coins, Victoria was still depicted as a young woman. To mark the jubilee of her 50 years as queen, however, a new coin portrait was produced. Henceforth Victoria was shown as an elderly matron on her coins.

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Sicily, Syracuse, Dionysius I (405-367 BC), Tetradrachm, 400- 395 BC

Denomination: Tetradrachm Mint Authority: Tyrant Dionysius I of Syracuse Mint: Syracuse Year of Issue: -400 Weight (g): 17.18 Diameter (mm): 26.0 Material: Silver Owner: Sunflower Foundation

Sometime around 425 BC, some audacious Syracuse die cutters began to experiment with movement and perspective. The rigid compositions of the images were given up and the illustrations became fanciful and vibrant.

This tetradrachm is a masterpiece of this new style. The horses pulling the carriage gallop thunderously, but at the same time are marked by a supremely elegant and smooth movement. The hooves form a harmonious pattern and the heads are evenly spread, even if the third head is slightly lowered.

The reverse depicts the head of a nymph or a goddess. A crown of reed is woven into her hair, giving it an extra animation as it curls riotously in all directions. Four dolphins float happily around it.

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United States of America, 1 Dollar 1884, Philadelphia

Denomination: 1 Dollar Mint Authority: United States of America Mint: Philadelphia Year of Issue: 1884 Weight (g): 26.7 Diameter (mm): 38.0 Material: Silver Owner: Conzett

The dollar is the major world currency to this day. Many states in the world designed their currency following its example, such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The dollar itself, however, is not an original American invention. The portrait of Miss Liberty strongly resembles antique archetypes, especially the Greek coins of the Sicilian cities of the 5th and 4th centuries BC. Other states have been inspired by the same models, for instance Switzerland and France, whose Helvetia and respectively resemble Miss Liberty like twins.

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Holy , Maria Theresa (1740-1780), Ducat 1766

Denomination: Ducat Mint Authority: Archduchess Maria Theresa of Hapsburg Mint: Vienna Year of Issue: 1766 Weight (g): 3.49 Diameter (mm): 21.799999237060547 Material: Gold Owner: Deutsche Bundesbank

In 1740 Maria Theresa ascended the imperial throne in succession of her father, Charles VI, and subsequently ruled over 40 years beloved by her subjects.

Our coin, which was produced after the death of Maria Theresa's husband in 1765, shows the with a widow's veil. The shield on the breast of the double headed eagle indicates the mint; this piece, with the Austrian barred shield, was made in Vienna.

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Roman Republic, L. Aemilius Lepidus Paullus, , 62 BC

Denomination: Denarius Mint Authority: Moneyer L. Aemilius Lepidus Paullus Mint: Year of Issue: -62 Weight (g): 3.72 Diameter (mm): 20.0 Material: Silver Owner: Sunflower Foundation

The obverse of this denarius shows , the goddess of harmony, while the reverse depicts a trophy between a figure in a and three captives. The Roman in the toga is Lucius Aemilius Lepidus, who in 168 BC had defeated the Macedonian King Perseus and his sons. After his victory, Lepidus had celebrated a great triumph at Pydna. This is what this denarius refers to, and accordingly the three captives are King Perseus and his two sons.

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United Kingdom of Great Britain, Victoria (1837-1901), Crown 1896

Denomination: Crown Mint Authority: Queen Victoria of England Mint: London Year of Issue: 1896 Weight (g): 28.24 Diameter (mm): 39.0 Material: Silver Owner: Sunflower Foundation

In the 17th century, the English and queens began to put their portraits on the obverse of the , and from the beginning of the 19th century, the reverse showed the image of "St George Slaying the Dragon," which can be seen on British crowns up to this day. This coin was minted under Queen Victoria, who reigned the British Empire for 63 years and 7 months.

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Roman Empire, (14-37 AD) for Livia Drusilla (58 BC- 29 AD), , 22-23 AD

Denomination: Dupondius Mint Authority: Emperor Tiberius Mint: Rome Year of Issue: 22 Weight (g): 14.76 Diameter (mm): 30.0 Material: Owner: Sunflower Foundation

Livia Drusilla, the wife of Emperor , was Rome's first empress. From a former marriage she had a son, Tiberius, whom Augustus adopted. When Tiberius became emperor, he had three bronze coins issued in honor of his then 80-year-old mother.

The coins depicted a youthful Livia with an idealized Greek profile in the guise of the goddess Justitia. This representation – the personification of a goddess by a woman's portrait – was to have a strong future influence indeed. The design inspired the coinage of modern France as well as of that of the US, and the representation of Helvetia on the Swiss coins also shows a striking resemblance with Livia Drusilla's portrait.

We know from Livia that she, quite flirtatiously, changed her hairstyle several times and also liked to wear wigs made of the much-sought after hair of Germanic female slaves. From now on the in Rome was: women style their hair like the empress.

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United States of America, 1 Dollar 1853, Philadelphia

Denomination: 1 Dollar Mint Authority: United States of America Mint: Philadelphia Year of Issue: 1853 Weight (g): 1.66 Diameter (mm): 13.0 Material: Gold Owner: Sunflower Foundation

The first US dollar was minted in 1849 – a tiny little coin of only 13 millimeters in diameter and a weight of less than 2 grams: it was the smallest coin ever to be circulated in the United States. The obverse showed a personified representation of liberty within 13 stars, one for each founding state. Remarkable is the resemblance of Miss Liberty to the head of Empress Livia, the wife of Augustus, on a Roman coin from the year 22 AD, which apparently served as a model.

This coin type was issued until 1907. Freedom and power, symbolized by Liberty and an eagle, run through the entire history of the American dollar as an impress.

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Roman Republic, L. Papius Celsus, Denarius, 45 BC

Denomination: Denarius Mint Authority: Moneyer L. Papius Celsus Mint: Rome Year of Issue: -45 Weight (g): 3.84 Diameter (mm): 20.0 Material: Silver Owner: Sunflower Foundation

This Roman denarius is an issue of the moneyer Lucius Papius Celsus, as the inscription L. PAPIVS CELSVS III VIR reveals. The obverse shows the goddess Sospita, which again is recognizable by the goatskin . The cult of Juno was centered at the town of Lanuvium, supposedly the hometown of the moneyer's family.

Juno was an ancient Italic goddess holding many different functions in Rome. As Juno Regina (Juno the Queen) she was the chief goddess, the spouse of and the patron saint of the city. As Juno Moneta (Juno the Alerter) she guarded over the state finances; in her temple on the Arx was the mint. And as Juno Sospita (Juno the Savior) she was the healer of the sick. The writer mentioned that there were a hundred temples in honor of Juno in Rome alone.

The reverse depicts a wolf placing a stick on a fire while an eagle fans the flame. This relates to a story about the foundation of Lanuvium; reputedly, a fire had broken out then that was said to have been set by an eagle and a wolf.

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Republic of France, 1 Centime 1850, Paris

Denomination: 1 Centime Mint Authority: 2nd Republic of France Mint: Paris Year of Issue: 1850 Weight (g): 2.02 Diameter (mm): 18.0 Material: Owner: Sunflower Foundation

The women's head with the , the , was minted on the French 1-centime coins as from the introduction of decimal coinage in 1795. The Pileus was a cap with a tail to the front; it had its origin in the antique country of in Minor, where freed slaves had worn such . Later the fashion spread to Greece and Rome, and during the of 1789, the adopted the Phrygian cap as well.

Marianne, who is wearing the Phrygian cap on this coin, symbolizes the French Republic. Not only the Phrygian cap, but also the idea of personification was adopted from Antiquity. The personification of characteristic and geographic attributes was very popular in ancient times.

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Sicily, Syracuse, Pyrrhus I (*c. 319, † 273 BC), AE Bronze Coin, c. 278 BC

Denomination: AE (Bronze Coin) Mint Authority: King Pyrrhus I of Syracuse Mint: Syracuse Year of Issue: -278 Weight (g): 11.46 Diameter (mm): 25.0 Material: Bronze Owner: Sunflower Foundation

In 278 BC, on request of Syracuse, Pyrrhus of , king of the Molossians, landed in Sicily to fight the Carthaginians. After his victory Pyrrhus took on the title of "King of Sicily" and had his own coins minted. This bronze piece depicts Phthia, the mother of Pyrrhus. It is one of the very few coins of that time bearing the image of a living woman. The reverse shows a winged flash and the Greek inscription BAΣIΛEΩΣ PYPPOY (King Philip).

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Republic of France, 1 Franc 1992, Paris

Denomination: 1 Franc Mint Authority: 5th Republic of France Mint: Paris Year of Issue: 1992 Weight (g): 6 Diameter (mm): 23.0 Material: Nickel Owner: Sunflower Foundation

During the revolution of the year 1789, France abolished the as well as its and insignias. To henceforth illustrate the national seal, coins and official documents, the young republic resorted to other symbols – for instance to the lady depicted on this coin. It is Marianne, the official personification of the Republic of France since 1792, representing liberty for the French people.

That Marianne stands for liberty becomes apparent by her cap. It is a pileus or Phrygian cap, an ancient originally worn in antique Phrygia. There, this kind of cap was worn especially at official occasions and represented freedom. Later, Roman slaves were given a pileus on the occasion of their emancipation. At the time of the Renaissance, the pileus was slightly changed – into a , which was to become the symbol of the independence movement. And some centuries later, during the French Revolution, the pileus was discovered by the revolutionaries.

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Roman Empire, Constantine I the Great (307-337), Solidus, 314, Treverorum

Denomination: Solidus Mint Authority: Emperor Constantine I Mint: Treverorum (Trier) Year of Issue: 314 Weight (g): 4.45 Diameter (mm): 24.0 Material: Gold Owner: Sunflower Foundation

This solidus documents the shift of power from Rome to . The obverse shows a portrait of Emperor , while the reverse depicts the goddess Roma handing over a globe to Constantine, the ruler of Constantinople.

This solidus was minted in the Roman town of Augusta Treverorum (today's Trier). Even though the invading Francs and Alemanni had demolished the town, it regained importance as an architectural, cultural and economical center under Constantine's rule. During that time Treverorum, situated in a very favorable point of old trading routes, saw an important boom as center of supply for the Roman legions in Germany.

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Russian Empire, Alexander I (1801-1825), Medal 1814, Hôtel de la Monnaie Paris

Denomination: Medal Mint Authority: Tsar Alexander I Mint: Paris Year of Issue: 1814 Weight (g): 35.56 Diameter (mm): 40.560001373291016 Material: Bronze Owner: Sunflower Foundation

In 1814, the Battle of Paris was fought. The defeat of the French in that fight became the direct cause for the downfall of the French Emperor Napoleon I Bonaparte. It came about as follows:

In 1813, the French army was on its retreat from a luckless invasion of Russia. In , the allied forces of Russians, Prussians, Austrians and Swedes crushed them in the Battle of Leipzig. Then the allied forces invaded France, and the end of March 1814 conquered the city of Paris.

The Battle of Paris was waged under the lead of the Russian Tsar Alexander I, who had a personal score to settle with Napoleon: Not even one and a half years before, the French had taken Moscow; during the invasion the city had been burned.

Just as Napoleon had entered Moscow, Tsar Alexander now entered Paris. A few days later Napoleon was forced to abdicate, and sent into exile on the island of Elba; his imperial title, he was allowed to keep.

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Roman Empire, Domitian, (81-96 AD), As, 88-89 AD

Denomination: As Mint Authority: Emperor Domitianus Mint: Rome Year of Issue: 88 Weight (g): 12.67 Diameter (mm): 28.0 Material: Bronze Owner: Sunflower Foundation

The Roman state was based on the relation between a patron and his clients already during the time of the republic. Every rich and powerful Roman – the patron – offered protection and material support to a bunch of poor and helpless – the clients. The clients gave in exchange political support. The moral obligation between patron and client was called .

During the time of the Roman Empire, the emperors secured their power by making all Roman citizens their clients. They did this by regularly distributing grain to the poor, who in turn morally obliged to support the imperial policy. Domitian distributed innumerable modii of grain as well, and this is what is depicted on this coin: Fides is holding the ears, together with a poppy seed capsule, which is always shown in this context.

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French Empire, Napoleon I (1804-1814), 1 Franc 1810

Denomination: 1 Franc Mint Authority: Emperor Napoleon I of France Mint: Paris Year of Issue: 1810 Weight (g): 4.95 Diameter (mm): 23.0 Material: Silver Owner: Sunflower Foundation

In 1794, the French government decided that the monetary system had to be reorganized. In 1795, the franc à pied, based on 5 grams of silver, was officially introduced. The funds that enabled this currency reformcame from Napoleon Bonaparte's victorious military campaigns. In 1797, the French treasury received over 50 million francs only from the booty of Napoleon's Italian campaign.

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Roman Republic, Anonymous Denarius, 209 BC, Mint in South Italy (Spearhead Symbol)

Denomination: Denarius Mint Authority: Roman Republic Mint: Undefined in Southern Italy Year of Issue: -209 Weight (g): 4.4 Diameter (mm): 21.0 Material: Silver Owner: Sunflower Foundation

This denarius was presumably minted in Tarentum. The obverse of the coin bears the head of the goddess Roma and the reverse shows the Dioscuri Castor and Pollux. Beneath the horses of the Dioscuri a spearhead is embossed – a symbol depicted on many ancient Roman coins found in the region of Tarentum. From this can be concluded that coins with a spearhead symbol were struck in Tarentum. This is not confirmed, though; there are a lot of symbols on Roman coins that cannot yet be assigned to a certain mint.

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United States of America, Dime 1927

Denomination: Dime Mint Authority: United States of America Mint: Philadelphia Year of Issue: 1927 Weight (g): 2.5 Diameter (mm): 17.899999618530273 Material: Others Owner: Schweizerisches Landesmuseum

Liberty is to the Americans what the goddess Roma was to the ancient Romans: just like Roma on the denarii, Liberty on the dime is wearing a Phrygian cap, the Roman attribute of a freed slave. The wings symbolize Mercury, the god of trade; according to modern American interpretation they stand for freedom of thought.

A Roman is represented on the reverse of the dime: a bundle of rods with an axe striking through the middle. In Rome, fasces were carried ahead of high officials. They represented supreme authority and served to punish delinquents – with the rod or the axe, depending on the offence.

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