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Dolphin
| Issuer | Olbia |
|---|---|
| Year | 437 BC - 410 BC |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Cast bronze coin in the form of a dolphin leaping to the right, the entire flan shaped in the naturalistic outline of the animal. The dorsal surface is rendered with a prominent central spine running longitudinally from head to tail, articulated by four transverse incuse lines dividing the body into segments. A circular eye is incised at the head, and the rostrum, pectoral fins, and bifurcated tail flukes are clearly delineated in the casting. The overall surface exhibits the characteristic patina of a cast bronze piece, with natural casting seams visible along the edges. |
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| Mintage | ND (437 BC - 410 BC) - There are varieties in weight and size |
| Additional information |
These cast bronze dolphin-shaped pieces are among the earliest token coinages in the Greek world — produced by Olbia, the Milesian colony at the mouth of the Hypanis river on the Black Sea's northern shore. They predate Olbia's struck coinage and circulated alongside similarly archaic wheel- and arrow-shaped bronzes, suggesting a local exchange system that had little interest in conforming to Aegean monetary norms. Whether they derived from actual dolphin cult worship of Apollo Delphinios or simply reflected the animal's commercial ubiquity in a fishing economy remains debated.