(c. 650-350 BC) The Aeginite Turtles
made of (almost) pure silver to keep values constant.
minted 10,000 Turtles each year for about 70 years.
Origin
The Greek island of Aegina,
located about 15 miles southeast of Athens,
was a powerful city-state and maritime power in the sixth century B.C.
Located on the island was one of the earliest mints in Greece proper,
which produced a series of silver staters known as Greek Turtles,
one of the most sought after of all ancient coins.
The earliest coins (550 - 480 B.C.) depicted the image of a smooth
shelled Sea Turtle, common to the Aegean Sea and symbolic
of the island's commerce.
These coins were produced in large numbers
and remained the principle world trade coin until replaced by
the Athenian Owl coin in the 5th century B.C.
Coin
Circ. B.C. 404-350, or later.
Obverse: Land tortoise (testudo Graeca) replaced
sea turtle for some unknown reason.
The letters A I, in Greek on either side of the tortoise.
Reverse: a “Skew” patterned incuse square with A –IG- as the first
three letters of the name of the city that minted this coins.
In the upper division and dolphin,
in lower rectangular division.
Coin size = 0.75 inch.
Coin weight = 9.90 gram.
Coin & 18 inch chain = 18.20 gram.