Catalog
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| Issuer | Olbia |
|---|---|
| Year | 550 BC - 500 BC |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Cast |
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| Obverse description | Cast bronze dolphin-shaped coin in the form of a naturalistically rendered leaping dolphin, depicted in profile with a prominent dorsal fin, pectoral fin, and a raised lateral line running along the body. The creature's arched form tapers elegantly from the rounded snout to the bifurcated tail flukes, conveying a sense of dynamic motion characteristic of early Olbian cast coinage. The surface shows the typical rough, hand-finished texture associated with archaic cast bronzes from the northern Black Sea region. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Reverse presents the plain, slightly concave underside of the cast dolphin form, retaining the same leaping posture with visible dorsal fin, pectoral fin, and raised lateral line as seen on the obverse. The flat or gently curved reverse surface bears no inscription or additional design, consistent with the archaic casting technique employed at Olbia. Minor surface irregularities and casting seams may be visible, reflecting the primitive production methods of this early monetary issue. |
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| Edge | Log in to see details |
| Mint | Olbia |
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