Share your favorites on Show & Tell

Ancient Coin Becomes WWII GI trinket

In World Coins > Ancient Roman Coins > Show & Tell.
Militarist's loves220 of 314French Model 1866 Chassepot Bayonet1921 D Walking Liberty Half Dollar
13
Love it
0
Like it

PadmeLupinPadmeLupin loves this.
inkyinky loves this.
sarahoffsarahoff loves this.
ManikinManikin loves this.
WindwalkerWindwalker loves this.
SEAN68SEAN68 loves this.
MilitaristMilitarist loves this.
AmberRoseAmberRose loves this.
blunderbuss2blunderbuss2 loves this.
walksoftlywalksoftly loves this.
DrFluffyDrFluffy loves this.
vetraio50vetraio50 loves this.
pw-collectorpw-collector loves this.
See 11 more
Add to collection

    Please create an account, or Log in here

    If you don't have an account, create one here.


    Create a Show & TellReport as inappropriate


    Posted 10 years ago

    Chrisnp
    (310 items)

    I ran across this item while going through some things with my mother this morning and thought I’d share it.

    During WWII, my father was with the US Third Infantry Division as it fought from North Africa, up through Italy and finally into Germany itself. While digging a foxhole in Italy, he came across this coin in the dirt and not knowing what it was, tucked it into his shirt pocket. He carried it as a trinket through the rest of the war. After the war, my mother kept it with the buttons in her sewing box. Eventually our neighbor’s son who was attending the University of Washington saw it and borrowed it to show to one of his professors.

    This silver coin was minted in the city of Taras, which was founded in the south of Italy by refugees from Sparta. Taras became so successful that it needed pay mercenary soldiers for the city's defense, which resulted in the production of these silver coins during the last two centuries before Rome destroyed Taras in about 207 BCE.

    Taras was also the name of the son of Poseidon, god of the sea. The coin shows this patron deity riding on the back of a dolphin. The other side of the coin is dedicated to horse racing, a particular love of the citizens of Taras. The rider is holding a laurel wreath over the horse’s head.

    logo
    Ancient Roman Coins
    See all
    RARE Roman Empire Coin Silver Denarius - HIGH GRADE - With Display Case
    RARE Roman Empire Coin Silver Denar...
    $59
    ONE QUALITY RANDOM ANCIENT ROMAN BRONZE COIN - 1500+ YEARS OLD
    ONE QUALITY RANDOM ANCIENT ROMAN BR...
    $19
    Lot of 5 Ancient Roman Coins FREE SHIPPING
    Lot of 5 Ancient Roman Coins FREE S...
    $13
    RARE Roman Empire Coin Bronze Follis - C. 3-4 C.E. HIGH GRADE - W. Display Case
    RARE Roman Empire Coin Bronze Folli...
    $24
    logo
    RARE Roman Empire Coin Silver Denarius - HIGH GRADE - With Display Case
    RARE Roman Empire Coin Silver Denar...
    $59
    See all

    Comments

    1. vetraio50 vetraio50, 10 years ago
      A Nomos!
      Wow!

      Great story. Thanks for sharing.
      CALABRIA, Tarentum. Circa 280 BC?
    2. Chrisnp Chrisnp, 10 years ago
      Vetraio50, clearly you know more about ancient coins than I do! Based on my limited knowledge, 280 BC may be right.
    3. Chrisnp Chrisnp, 10 years ago
      Thanks for the love blunder, walksoftly, DrFluffy, vetraio50, pw-collector and nutsabotas6.
    4. AmberRose AmberRose, 10 years ago
      Really great story and stunning piece. Thanks for sharing. Love this kind of stuff.
    5. scottvez scottvez, 10 years ago
      Great story.

      Your Dad was lucky too-- all I ever found digging fighting positions in foreign lands were rocks and garabage!

      scott
    6. Chrisnp Chrisnp, 10 years ago
      Thanks for the love SEAN68 and Militarist. And thank you for the love and the nice comment AmberRose.

      Scott, I never found anything myself while digging a fighting position, but a group of soldiers I was evaluating at an exercise at Ft Drum dug up a huge quantity of WWI style barbwire pickets, of which I held on to a couple. Hardly the same, I know.
    7. Chrisnp Chrisnp, 10 years ago
      Thanks for the love Windwalker.
    8. Chrisnp Chrisnp, 10 years ago
      Thanks for the love petey
    9. Chrisnp Chrisnp, 10 years ago
      Thanks for the love inky, sarahoff and Manikin.

    Want to post a comment?

    Create an account or login in order to post a comment.