Owner Comments:
Moesia was an ancient land comprising parts of present-day Bulgaria, Serbia, and Romania. A dominant feature of the land was the mighty Danube river, and where it flowed into Pontus Euxinus, the Black Sea, lies the city of Istrus, founded by Milesean settlers in 7th century BC.
Istrus and other major Black Sea coastal cities produced coinage employing the dramatic motif of an eagle perched atop the back of a dolphin, as shown on the reverse of this 4th century BC drachm. The significance of this particular design, which was probably innovated by coastal Paphlagonians, has been debated (for comparison and more comments, see the Sinope AR drachm in this set).
The obverse design of this coin is also striking: two identical young male heads facing forwards, inverted with respect to one another. Like the reverse design, the meaning is mysterious, its likewise has been subject of much speculation. Among the many theories proposed are that the young men represent two branches of the Danube, or epitomize the rising and setting sun, or perhaps are a clever solution allowing rapid coin identification from any angle (since there is no “right” side up). For certain, the design is unique, so much so that there are no similar examples in all of iconography. Whatever the inspiration was, it was probably a powerful one.
In 434 BC, Istrus was host to a nearly total solar eclipse, featuring an upside-down reversal of a horned, partially eclipsed sun. Three years later during the Peloponnesian War, there was another nearly total solar eclipse, presenting a similarly reversing, horned sun. On average at a given location, such an event occurs perhaps once per century; two instances in three years was extraordinary. Perhaps then the heads represent the sun-god Apollo, and their inversion was inspired by the eclipse(s).
Minting and circulation of coins with the inverted head design at Istrus continued for another century, and in 337 BC the city experienced yet another eclipse, this time an even more dramatic and total one. By this time, Istrus was declining in influence and, potential messaging from Apollo aside, soon thereafter ceased using the double inverted heads figure. Even so, the eagle-on-dolphin motif would continue, and later be incorporated into Roman coinage until at least mid-3rd century AD, perhaps the longest run of any ancient numismatic design.
Additional Reading: "The double heads of Istrus: the oldest eclipse on a coin?" W C Saslaw and P Murdin, J Hist Astro 36: 21-27, 2005.
Coin Details: MOESIA, ISTRUS, 4th Century BC, AR Drachm (5.70 g, 17 mm), NGC Grade: MS *, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 5/5, Obverse: Facing male heads, the left inverted, Reverse: Eagle left, grasping dolphin with talons, A below, References: AMNG I/1, 435; SNG BM Black Sea 240.