A modern "herculean task" of collecting coins depicting Herakles

One of my collecting themes is to collect coins that depict Herakles (Hercules), specifically ancient coins. Herakles is one deity that has transcended beyond the Athenian realm into Central Asia, Asia and Western Europe. Here are a few new additions to my collection, including some nice gems that I acquired a while ago:

South Soghd, Kashka Darya Valley: Anonymous (Late 1st century BCE - 1st century AD) AR Obol (Senior A12.3; Alram 1230; HGC 12, 499)

Obv: Zeus enthroned left, holding eagle and scepter
Rev: Herakles standing right, holding club and filleted wreath
Dim: 14mm, 0.56 g, 12h




Kings of Bithynia: Prusias II Cynegos (182-149 BCE) Æ Unit (SNG von Aulock 258; SNG Copenhagen 631; HGC 7, 634)

Obv: Head of Prusias II to right, wearing winged diadem
Rev: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΠPOVΣIOV; Herakles standing left, holding club and lion skin; monogram to inner right
Dim: 18.41mm, 3.08 g




Roman Republic: Anonymous (ca. 211 BCE) Æ Quadrans, Uncertain Sardinian, Sicilian, or non-Roman Italian Mint (Crawford 56/5; Sydenham 143c/679c)

Obv: Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin; ••• to left
Rev: Prow of galley right; ROMA above, ••• below
Dim: 20mm, 5.23 g, 6h




Lydia, Maeonia: Pseudo-autonomous issue at time of Marcus Aurelius (161-180) Æ Unit (BMC 17-18; Lindgren I, 749; RPC IV online, 1325; SNG Copenhagen 222-223; SNG München 302)

Obv: Bearded head of Herakles to left
Rev: MAIO-NΩN; Omphale advancing right, wearing lion's skin and holding club over shoulder
Dim: 19 mm, 5.10 g, 12 h




Roman Imperial: Commodus (177-192 CE) Æ As, Rome (RIC III 644; MIR 18, 853-4/72)

Obv: L AEL AVREL COMM AVG P FEL; Head right, wearing lion-skin headdress
Rev: HER CVL RO MAN AV GV SC in four lines divided by upright club; all within wreath




Seleukid Empire: Seleukos I Nikator (312 -281 BCE) AR Tetradrachm, Babylon II (Price 3349; SC C94.7d; HGC 9, 10g)

Obv: Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin
Rev: AΛEΞANΔPOY to right, BAΣIΛEΩΣ in exergue; Zeus Aëtophoros seated left, holding eagle and scepter; anchor and monogram to left; Π below throne
Dim: 28mm, 17.19 g, 8h

Kings of Characene: Attambelos IV (55-65 CE) Æ Tetradrachm, Charax-Spasinu (BMC 7; DCA 490)

Obv.: Diademed head right.
Rev.: BAC ATTAMBH CWTHR KAI; Herakles seated left on rock, holding club.




Celtic, Eastern Europe: Imitation of Philip III of Macedon (ca. 3rd-2nd century BCE) AR Tetradrachm, Mint in the lower Danube region (OTA 579; KMW 1468)

Obv: Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin
Rev: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ in semi-corrupt form; Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; two monograms in left field, Greek Z below throne




Go ahead and post your own Herculean coins!

Very nice! They are all pretty much as good as museum pieces!

Quote: "Camerinvs"​Very nice! They are all pretty much as good as museum pieces!

​Agreed.


Love these Einstein's posts. We had that cuneiform tablets in the other week and now we have this "herculean gallery".

Wonderful work!

Thanks for the complements! Here are a few more:

Roman Imperial: Maximianus (286-305 CE) Æ Follis, Alexandria (RIC VI 38)

Obv: IMP C MA MAXIMIANVS PF AVG; Laureate head right
Rev: HERCVLI VICTORI; Hercules standing facing, head left, holding club set on ground and the Apples of the Hesperides; ∆ S-P in field; ALE in exergue




Ionia, Erythrai: Anonymous (550-500 BCE) EL Hekte (SNG Kayhan 737–8; SNG von Aulock 1942; Boston MFA 1806–7)

Obv: Head of Herakles left, wearing lion skin
Rev: Quadripartite incuse square; two quarters partially filled-in




Sicily, Akragas: Anonymous (ca. 425-406 BCE) Æ Hemilitron (SNG ANS 1065)

Obv: Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin headdress, within circular counterstamp
Rev: Blank
Dim: 28.46 mm, 15.82 gm




Sicily, Syracuse: Pyrrhos (278-276 BCE) Æ Unit (B&S Type 5; BAR Issue 52; HGC 2, 1451; Sear 1213var)

Obv: ΣΥΡΑΚΟΣΙΩΝ; Head of Herakles left, wearing lion-skin
Rev: Athena Promachos advancing right, holding thunderbolt and shield; trident head to left

Albania. Modern Greece has Alexander the Great as Hercules. Gibraltar has a 12 coin set of 2 pound coins of Hercules and his labors...

Those Gilbralter coins are always popular. Been thinking about getting those...

Hercules is not often apearing in my collection yet, I think this is the only ancient coin showing him I own.
Its a coin from the reign of the Emperors Diocletian and Maximian. The two emperors saw themselfes under special protection of Jupiter and Hecules/Heracles (and thats exactly the message shown on the reverse of this coin).

That's a nice one. There are more than a few Roman Imperial coins that have Herakles on them, including the one you posted. Alas, I don't have that particular type, but here is another one:

Roman Imperial: Maximianus (286-305 CE) Æ Antoninianus, Lugdunum (RIC V 377)

Obv: IMP C C VAL MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Maximianus right
Rev: HERCVLI PACIFERO; Hercules standing facing, head left, holding olive branch, club and lion's skin; Γ in left field

Those Gibraltar coins will cost you out the nose.

Hence the reason why I haven't bought them yet