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Author Topic: Felis catus on ancient coins  (Read 451 times)

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Offline Pawel K

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Felis catus on ancient coins
« on: February 24, 2023, 02:34:28 pm »
We have dogs topics so why not to start a cat topic.

Do you know any examples of cats on the ancient coins? Not lions, tigers or any other big cats, but with ordinary domestic kittens (felis catus)?

Greetings from Fałda (Fold in English)

Offline Curtis JJ

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Re: Felis catus on ancient coins
« Reply #1 on: February 24, 2023, 03:08:11 pm »
Lions abound on ancient coins. Domestic cats are much harder.

From my "BCD Coll. Gallery," a Lion Obol from Thessaly: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=180449

Attached is a newly acquired Lion Obol from Caria (from the hoard of them published by Silvia Hurter in Essays Hersh).

For an actual cat-cat, I think the best I can do is probably Yuri, who, as you can see from the photo, shares my unnatural and dangerous fascination with numismatic literature. Here he attempts to attack my haul from the Numismatik Lanz library sales.
“Collect the collectors…” John W Adams’ advice to J Orosz (Asylum 38, 2: p51)

Galleries https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/index.php?cat=27154

Offline Virgil H

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Re: Felis catus on ancient coins
« Reply #2 on: February 24, 2023, 03:15:38 pm »
I am looking forward to seeing some. I am not sure I have ever seen one with felis catus. I am willing to bet there are some out there, maybe Egypt? Nice cats, both of them. I will refrain from posting a pic of my dog. LOL.

Virgil

Offline Pawel K

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Re: Felis catus on ancient coins
« Reply #3 on: February 24, 2023, 03:33:21 pm »
I will refrain from posting a pic of my dog.

Virgil

Wise decision  ;D

Offline Curtis JJ

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Re: Felis catus on ancient coins
« Reply #4 on: February 24, 2023, 03:34:41 pm »
NOT my coin but I can dream!!! The one domestic cat type on an ancient coin that I can think of, and that I really enjoy, is the Vlasto 225 Tarentum Stater, which shows Taras quite clearly using string to play with a very energetic cat.

It's really a spectacular coin. I don't think there can be very many of them out there, and even fewer with the cat and its toy actually on the flan (it's usually described as a "spindle of wool").

This is the photo from Peus 380, 59 (on ACSearch), previously Kricheldorf 23 (1971). Later Waddell & then CNG (https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3594085), who gives these references: "Fischer-Bossert Group 17, 263 (V123/R197); Vlasto, Taras , Type 41; Vlasto 225; HN Italy 844; SNG ANS 857; SNG Copenhagen 782; SNG Lloyd 139; SNG München 610 (all from the same dies)." There was also a good one in the "A.D.M." Collection, sold at NAC 82 (https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2468970).
“Collect the collectors…” John W Adams’ advice to J Orosz (Asylum 38, 2: p51)

Galleries https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/index.php?cat=27154

Offline Pawel K

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Re: Felis catus on ancient coins
« Reply #5 on: February 24, 2023, 03:51:34 pm »
Wow. Clearly amazing!

Offline Serendipity

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Re: Felis catus on ancient coins
« Reply #6 on: February 24, 2023, 07:02:18 pm »
Unfortunately, I don’t possess any ancient cat coins in my collection. However, I do have an ancient Egyptian gold amulet of the cat-goddess Bastet. I’ve given the ancient amulet an approximate New Kingdom dating of over 3,000 years old when the cat cult was at its height. The ancient Egyptian word, incidentally, for "cat" in hieroglyphs is 𓏇𓇍𓅱𓃠 (mjw), a consonant-only representation of the onomatopoeic word "miaow."

Egyptian Gold Bastet Amulet, New Kingdom, c.1550-1070 BC, cf. Andrews, C. "Amulets of Ancient Egypt" (London, 1994), item 28f (for type); see the Metropolitan Museum of Art 08.202.41c (for similar example), EF, some bitumen deposits, casting sprue remnant behind right ear, weight 0.5g, maximum length 0.5cm (3/16"), width 0.3cm (1/8"), height 0.8cm (5/16"), solid-cast gold amuletic pendant of the cat-goddess Bastet in zoomorphic cat-form sitting erect on a sub-rectangular base, detailing to face and paws, the tail wrapped around its right side; blocked suspension loop to nape of neck.

 

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