GRIFFINS ON ANCIENT COINS

THE GRIFFIN (gryps in Greek) IS a mythical beast with the head and wings of an eagle and the body of a lion. Long before the emergence of coinage in the seventh century BCE, griffins featured prominently in the art of ancient Greeks, Egyptians, Babylonians, and other peoples. As guardians of treasure, griffins were a particularly appropriate symbol for coins, and they appeared very early in numismatic history. A griffin adorns the reverse of the current record holder for the highest price ever paid for an ancient coin.

Kyzikos

 

Mysia, Cyzicus Electrum Stater circa 500-450 BCE. Image: Numismatica Ars Classica.

The city of Kyzikos (or Cyzicus) on the Sea of Marmara, prospered by harvesting the annual migration of tuna fish between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. The fish appears as an emblem on the city's lumpy electrum staters (which circulated widely in the ancient world) with designs that changed annually. On one type, dated to c. 500-450 BCE, we see a roaring griffin standing on the fish, with one paw raised.

 

Mysia, Kyzikos EL Stater. Circa 400-330 BCE. Image: Roma Numismatics.

A century later, the coins were still lumpy(ish), but the designs were far more ambitious and the sculptural quality of the engraving was remarkable. An electrum stater dated to c. 400-330 BCE shows the muscular god Apollo riding on the back of a griffin in flight, his arm around the beast's neck. This griffin has the head of a leopard, a common variation of how the creatures were depicted.

Teos

 

Ionia, Teos Silver Stater. Circa 478-449 BCE Image: Roma Numismatics.

Teos (near modern Sigacik, Türkiye) was one of the 12 cities that made up the Ionian League. Teos adopted the griffin as its civic emblem. A silver drachm in fine archaic style (c. 510-500 BCE) shows a griffin with curved wings raising one paw. A generation or two later (c. 478-449), a silver stater in richly detailed classical style bears an elegant crouching female griffin.

To read the complete article, see:
Griffins on Ancient Coins (https://coinweek.com/griffins-on-ancient-coins/)

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