Snakes on coins

[chrisild]

An interesting example is this "symbolic" snake on one of the Benjamin Franklin silver dollars (collector coins) issued by the US in 2006.

It refers to Franklin's cartoon http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Join,_or_Die  that was published in 1754.

Christian

[Harald]

On early Haitian coins (Southern part, to be exact) there is a snake biting its tail. the whole series was referred to as "snake coins".

cheers
--
Harald

[<k>]

St Thomas and Prince, 1990, 50 dobras.

[Figleaf]

A coin of the Roman empire, proudly owned by Ghipszky, showing that Roman snakes pre-figured as Apple computer keyboard caps.

Peter

[Abhay]

Gwalior has many copper coins with snake on them. Here are three of them.

And another unknown copper coin from Indian Princely state with snake.

Abhay

[Figleaf]

Amazingly, the snake in the second pair of pics is in almost the same position as the one on the Roman coin. This is a real discovery for me!

Peter

[<k>]

Russia, 10 roubles, 1992.  Collector coin.  Central Asian cobra.

[WillieBoyd2]

Snakes on coins was an old idea, this one is from Roman Egypt, AD 130:



Hadrian - Roman Provincial Egypt Bronze Obol - Cobra
Laureate head right
AVT KAI TPAI ADPRIA CEB (Emperor Caesar Trajan Hadrian Augustus)
Cobra erect with head left, hood spread, crowned with horns and disc.
L-ID (year 14) in field
Struck: AD 129-130, Alexandria, Egypt
Size: 20mm
Weight: 4.94gm
Catalog: Milne 2249
The cobra was a symbol of royalty and divine authority in ancient Egypt.

[<k>]

Canada, Year of the Snake silver coins.

[<k>]

Hong Kong, 1000 dollars (gold), 1977.  Year of the snake.

[Gusev]

Algeria, 10 centimes (Token), 1916.

[Gusev]

Liberia, 5$, 2000.
Year of the snake.

[<k>]

Aruba, 10 florin, 2003.  Crotalus durissus - South American rattle snake.