A teeny, tiny, itsy bitsy, ancient coin

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Gam3rBlake
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A teeny, tiny, itsy bitsy, ancient coin

#1 Unread post by Gam3rBlake »

This is definitely my smallest ancient coin.
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Oddly enough it’s also my oldest ancient coin!

This coin circulated around the time of Leonidas and his 300 Spartans. Although this coin was minted in Miletus not Sparta.

It’s called an “obol”.

6 obol = 1 drachma

This is a “drachma” of the Parthian Kingdom as an example:
(I don’t know why it’s sideways? But if you click it it should appear right side up).
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The drachma also had higher denominations such as this tetradrachm (4 drachmae) coin of Athens.
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To give an approximation of the values of these coins when they circulated: the average unskilled laborer made 1 drachma per day. So definitely not small change.

Anyway originally I just wanted to share my tiniest coin but somehow I wrote an article about the Drachma..but hopefully it will inspire or educate or teach someone :).
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JennyMalin
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Re: A teeny, tiny, itsy bitsy, ancient coin

#2 Unread post by JennyMalin »

I love the way you've kept it!
Pure gold. Take good care of it pal

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Earle42
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Re: A teeny, tiny, itsy bitsy, ancient coin

#3 Unread post by Earle42 »

I have always liked the Owl on the Drachma like your last one. Thanks for sharing!
Common grading company shortcomings & resulting co$tly mi$take$ to collectors (using Kennedy No FG halves):
https://tinyurl.com/y7rksxu8

How much squash would a sasquatch squash if a sasquatch would squash squash?

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Re: A teeny, tiny, itsy bitsy, ancient coin

#4 Unread post by Gam3rBlake »

Earle42 wrote: Tue Dec 07, 2021 10:09 pm I have always liked the Owl on the Drachma like your last one. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Earl!

Originally I just wanted to share the obol because it is a new acquisition and it’s sooo tiny xD but then I decided I might as well show some other Ancient Greek coin denominations.

I’ve shown the owl before but It’s the only example I had of a tetradrachm.

What really fascinated me is that the top and bottom coin are OG Ancient Greeks. This is before even Alexander the Great. We’re talking about the times of Leonidas & his 300 Spartans, Themistocles, Pericles, Herodotus and even Socrates! All those famous names from when Greece was at its absolute peak lived during this time and would’ve recognized and used this same coinage.

To me it’s so cool to have coinage from that time period. Maybe one of those famous names held one of my coins at some time ^_^.
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Re: A teeny, tiny, itsy bitsy, ancient coin

#5 Unread post by Gam3rBlake »

JennyMalin wrote: Tue Dec 07, 2021 2:32 pm I love the way you've kept it!
Pure gold. Take good care of it pal
Can you please explain I don’t understand what you mean?

You said “The way I’ve kept it” and “Pure gold”.

All of these coins are silver not gold. I’m confused.

Maybe a reply to the wrong thread?
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Re: A teeny, tiny, itsy bitsy, ancient coin

#6 Unread post by Earle42 »

To me it’s so cool to have coinage from that time period. Maybe one of those famous names held one of my coins at some time ^_^.
That always to me, is the thrill of something historically collectable.

Though of a totally different nature and time period, this is why I like seated coins though I don't own a lot of them. Civil War and Cowboys! If only they could tell us who used them! Those time periods of US history are some of my favorites.
Common grading company shortcomings & resulting co$tly mi$take$ to collectors (using Kennedy No FG halves):
https://tinyurl.com/y7rksxu8

How much squash would a sasquatch squash if a sasquatch would squash squash?

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