Unknown Maker, Greek

Aegina is thought to be one of the first places in Greece to adopt a system of coinage. These early, simply engraved coins were recognized throughout the ancient world as legitimate currency. Like many coin images, the turtle on the obverse of the coin was a pun. The word “turtle” had been a nickname for Aegina’s silver mines before the island began minting coins. The turtle is cast in high relief to stand up to years of use. The dots down its back serve both aesthetic and practical purposes. These bumps would gradually show wear on the coin, indicating when a buyer should reweigh the coin to recalculate its value.