Fish on coins

[Bimat]

Japan 500 Yen (2011): Shiga Prefecture.

A Japanese catfish (Silurus Asotus) and two common carps (Cyprinus carpio).

Both are commercially important fish.

Aditya

[Arminius]

Berge or Berga in Macedonia - or Thracia, Kings, Bergaios, a local Thracian king in the Pangaian district of Greece (?), ca. 400-350 BC.,
Chalkus / Æ 10 (10-11 mm / 0,95 g), bronze, irregular alignment ↑-> (ca. 120°),
Obv.: bearded head of Seilenos or Satyr facing right.
Rev.: BERΓ , fish r., legend below.
Peter p. 105 ; Mouchmov, Monnaies 38 ; BMC Thrace etc. 205, 2-3 ; SNG BM - ; SNG Cop. - ; SNG Stancomb 288 (a silver obol ??, SNGuk_1100_0288 , SNG Vol: XI 288 William Stancomb Collection ) .
Rare

Berge or Berga (Greek: Βέργα or Βέργη) was an ancient Greek town in Bisaltia, north-west of Amphipolis, founded by Thasians as a dependent colony and emporion sometime in the 5th century BC and later colonized by 1000 Athenians. Later soures call it a polis. According to Strabo it was a village of the Bisaltae and Ptolemy writes that it was in the territory of the Odomanti. Bergaioi are listed in the Thracian phoros of the Delian League. If Bergaioi are related to Berge and not the king Bergaios, it suggests that it became Athenian colony/cleruchy after 429/8 BC, the last report of Bergaioi in the tribute lists.

Bergaios or Bergaeus (Greek: Βεργαίος), 400 – 350 BC, was a Thracian king in the Pangaian region. He is known mainly from the several types of coins that he struck, which resemble those of Thasos. Bergaios could mean literally, 'a man from Berge (Bisaltia) but the legend on the coin is a personal, not a place name.

[Figleaf]

A Syracuse demareteion. Arethusa with four dolphins.

Not mine, unfortunately. Borrowed from the BM with thanks.

Peter

[Quant.Geek]

The Pandyas used the fish as their emblem, so here are some crude fish coins:

PANDYAS: Anonymous, early 1st century AD, Mitch-155
Obv: tree in railing
Rev: Pandya styled fish emblem

PANDYAS: Anonymous, 8th-9th century, Mitch-299/300
Obv: humped bull seated right, between 2 lamps, crescent above, three lines below
Rev: two fishes, between 2 lamps, crescent above, three lines below

[Figleaf]

Most excellent additions, QG! I presume that to the Pandyas, the fish was important above all as a source of food.

Peter

[Quant.Geek]

South Indians were typically veterinarians at that time, so I doubt it was a source of food.  This also applies to the boar of the Chalukyas.  Each of the animals depicted in most coins have a religious story behind it.  I don't know what the motivation was for the Pandyas to select the fish.  But the religious story of the fish is due to yet another re-incarnation of Vishnu as Matsya

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matsya

Cheers,

Ram

[Arminius]

Great Britain, Hull, Market Tallie for Great Northern Steam Fishing Company, Ltd. (G.N.S.F. Co Limited), by Johnson, ca. 1884-1917 AD.,
Brass Market Tallie (29 mm / 7,12 g),
Obv.: HULL GN. S. F Co LIMITED • , around central hole.
Rev.: JOHNSON 32 NEWINGTON CAUSEWAY , numbered, by stamping, 138 - 52 , two fish, central hole.
http://www.tokensociety.org.uk/topics/Billingsgate.doc .



Moderator's note: The fish is probably an Atlantic Mackerel (Scomber scombrus).

[Figleaf]

UK national transport token. Fish as a sign of the zodiac.

Peter

[@josephjk]

Pair of India princely state, Awadh Rupees,
AH 1226 (1811 AD)
AH 1259 (1843 AD)

[Quant.Geek]

Umayyad Caliphate, Palestine: Anonymous (738+ AD) AE Fals, Baysan Mint (Album-165; Walker-686; SNAT-IVa, 274ff; SICA-2, 1345ff)

Obv: Within looped square inside circle, لا إله إلا الله وحده ("There is no god but Allah alone")
Rev: Within looped square inside circle, fish left; on three sides around from above, محمد رسول الله ("Muhammad is the apostle of Allah")

[Oklahoman]

Sri Lanka recently depicted a singing fish.  No one has mentioned how the great Willem Vis signed all of his coin designs with a fish.

[<k>]

No one has mentioned how the great Willem Vis signed all of his coin designs with a fish.

I just knew you were going to say that.   

Willem Vis, Coin Designer.

[<k>]

Sri Lanka, 10 rupees, 2013.

Singing fish.  Who knows the species name?

Sri Lanka recently depicted a singing fish.

You're allowed to post too, you know.    Making me do all the work. 

[<k>]

Bangladesh, 25 poisha, 1973.

Tenualosa ilisha.  Hilsa herring.

[<k>]

San Marino, 50 lire, 1975.

Herring.