Pantikapaion, Thrace, Black Sea Region Very Rare AR Tridrachm 340-325 BC Ancient Greek Silver Coin Satyr Pan on Obverse Museum Reproduction CSGT0059

“In Greek mythology, satyrs were half-man half-goat creatures who roamed the woods and fields, drinking wine, playing panpipes, and in constant search of nymphs. Attic painted vases depict them with snub noses, pointed goat ears, and long wavy hair, with mature satyrs often shown with goat’s horns and full beards. Satyrs closely resembled Pan, the Greek god of shepherds and fields, and were his devout companions. Because of the physical similarity between the satyr and Pan, there has been a long numismatic debate on whether the emblematic head appearing on Pantikapaion coins represents Pan or a satyr. The more traditional interpretation is to view the character as Pan, a view bolstered by the usual presence of the word PAN on the coins. However Bosporous specialist David McDonald, expressing the opposing point of view, notes that the Russian numismatist A.N. Zograph, in his massive work Ancient Coins (published in Russian in 1951, but written prior to 1941), considered the image to be the head a satyr. Zograph (and later Anokhin in 1986) noted that the first coins with a satyr appeared in the region around 390 BC, during the rule of Satyros I (433-389?). Satyros the First was a local leader who conquered neighboring cities and introduced a centralized Bosporian state. The Russian numismatists speculate that the coins show a satyr which may commemorate Satyros. Jerzy Gorecki nicely sums up this point of view: ‘Perhaps we should change the traditional interpretation of Pantikapaion->Pan into satyr->Satyros I.'”
DESIGN:
Obverse side
Head of a youthful satyr to left, with a pug nose, a bony knob on his forehead, a pointed animal’s ear and an ivy wreath
Legend:
Anepigraphic

Reverse side
Head of an ox to left
Legend:
Π-A-N

A perfect choice for Numismatists, Historians, Military Veterans, Collectors.