- Origin: Ancient Greece. Moesia, Istros
- Year: 4th century BC
- Composition: Silver
- Denomination: Drachma
- Obverse: The face of two men, facing each other. The left side of the head.
- Reverse: Sea eagle turning left, grabbing a dolphin with its talons; and a monogram below. Legend: IΣTPIH.
- Approximate diameter: 15.8mm
- 14K gold bezel
Who these two evils are has never been definitely determined but there have been various theories put forward by numismatists. One thought, and the most probable, is that they are Castor and Pollux, the Dioscuri, and ultimately in death, the heavenly twins, Gemini. They were the twin sons of Zeus, semi-divine figures, who were credited with the role of saving those in trouble at sea or in grave danger in war. The twins were considered the protectors of the home and hospitality, oaths, friendship, and sporting activities.
The facing heads represent many dualities such as the rising and setting sun, positive and negative, and tragedy and comedy. It may also mean a geographical significance of the Danube Delta where the two branches of the Danube river meet, and as the reverse shows, where the wind meets the sea. The sea-eagle and dolphin of the reverse may represent: Zeus (sky) and Poseidon (water), or may also be a representation of the Black Sea and it's rich fishing resources. The polarities expressed on this coin seem to suggest a unified balance within nature's extremes.
This coin was minted in Northern Greece at Istros of Thrace, on the coastline of the Black Sea. Istros was the first Greek settlement in present day Romania.
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