Author Topic: Crabs on coins (Read 6531 times)

<k> · « **on:** March 18, 2011, 04:07:18 AM »

Seychelles, 1 cent.

Figleaf · « **Reply #1 on:** March 18, 2011, 02:18:00 PM »

The oldest crab (the sign of cancer) coin I could find is one of the famous zodiac rupees of Jahangir.

Peter

Figleaf · « **Reply #2 on:** March 18, 2011, 02:27:53 PM »

And here is a modern art crab from Afghanistan, maybe also seen as a sign of the zodiac...

Peter

Figleaf · « **Reply #3 on:** March 18, 2011, 02:33:56 PM »

Not a coin, but another zodiac, with cancer represented b a crab.

Peter

FosseWay · « **Reply #4 on:** March 18, 2011, 09:48:45 PM »

Quote from: Figleaf on March 18, 2011, 02:27:53 PM

And here is a modern art crab from Afghanistan, maybe also seen as a sign of the zodiac...

Peter

Is it just me, or does anyone else find it odd that a landlocked country should portray a marine creature on its coins?

Figleaf · « **Reply #5 on:** March 18, 2011, 11:15:50 PM »

Landlocked countries with a population that largely believes that star constellations and your birthday have a correlation with your future will find the signs of the zodiac important, I guess. After all, most of the lions in Britain are either holding arms, in arms or in the horoscope columns, representing leo. Scorpions are also not really one of Britain's big threats (though I wouldn't be surprised to hear there's a pop group by that name

)

I am a bit disappointed nobody has pointed out yet that the Chinese should have told the Libyans, Egyptians, Tunisians and quite a few others that the year of the rabbit was supposed to be quiet and dull

Peter

FosseWay · « **Reply #6 on:** March 19, 2011, 11:05:13 AM »

Quote from: Figleaf on March 18, 2011, 11:15:50 PM

Landlocked countries with a population that largely believes that star constellations and your birthday have a correlation with your future will find the signs of the zodiac important, I guess.

I didn't realise that astrology using the signs of the zodiac we're familiar with was also common in Islamic culture.

lusomosa · « **Reply #7 on:** March 26, 2011, 11:14:47 AM »

In Akragas ( Agrigento in Latin ) Sicily The Greek colonists used a crab on the reverse of their coins.
This one is about 500 BC and weights about 8g of silver.
The crab represents perhaps the river akragas that geve the name to the settelment. Rivers are very often represented in greek coins by a particular nymphf or bulls/man headed bull ( acheloos/achelous, the river god ). Crabs are very rare exept in this city satate.

LP