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bronze Aegina turtle coin paperweight
£30.00
Reproduction of a coin from the island of Aegina in the Saronic Gulf. The Aeginetans were great traders and their early 'turtle coins' are found abundantly in hoards all over the Greek speaking world. After the Persian Wars, Aegina's commercial importance declined in the face of Athenian dominance. In the mid 5th century, possibly following the Athenian conquest of Aegina in ca 456BC, the turtle was replaced by a tortoise and coinage output was much reduced. diameter: 6cm depth: 0.4cm
quantity
about the bronzes in this collection
The bronze pieces are cast in Greece using the traditional lost wax method. As nothing is mass-produced, there will inevitably be slight variations in texture, patina, and colour. No two pieces are ever the same. If mounted on a marble base, it will be a black or very dark grey base. There may be a variation of some millimetres in the dimensions of the base from time to time.
It's All Greek is so grateful and so proud to have been working closely with the Semitekolo family foundry since 1999. It has been a privilege and a joy to handle, live with, and photograph these gorgeous pieces and to pass them on to customers all over the world.
about the turtle
The turtle is often thought of one of the wisest of souls in the animal kingdom, representing self-containment, earthiness, patience and a steady approach to life. It remains a symbol of longevity, protection and stability.
The ancient Greek word for turtle, chelone (modern Greek chelona), was the name given to the famous coin of the Aegean island of Aegina. These were minted in their thousands at the turn of the 6th and 5th centuries BCE and were the first coins produced in Europe. They were minted in silver from the island of Siphnos.