Cow and Calf Silver Drachm from Ancient Illyria (2,200 years ago)

This silver coin was minted in the ancient Greek colony of Dyrrhachium in Illyria (modern-day Albania) between 229-100 BC. It represents an important trade currency that circulated widely throughout the Adriatic region during the Hellenistic period, when the city maintained significant commercial importance.

Coin Description:

Front side: A cow standing to the right nursing her calf; above them is an eagle with spread wings, and below in the lower section (exergue) is a running hound. The Greek inscription "EENQN" appears on this side.

Back side: A distinctive double stellate (star-like) pattern enclosed within linear borders. Greek letters "(AYP / 0IAO / AA/) MOY" are arranged around the design.

Technical Details:

• Material: Silver

• Denomination: Drachm (a standard Greek silver coin, roughly equivalent to a day's wage for skilled labor)

• Weight: 3.20 grams

• Catalog Reference: HGC-40, Maier 388

• Period: 229-100 BC (Late Hellenistic period)

Historical Significance:

Dyrrhachium was a strategically located port city that served as a vital link between Greece and Rome, allowing this coinage to spread throughout ancient trading networks. The distinctive cow and calf imagery became a recognized and trusted design that merchants accepted across the Adriatic and Ionian regions (modern-day Albania, Greece, and Italy). These coins helped establish standardized currency values during a period of increasing Mediterranean trade and represent one of the most successful local Greek coinages that maintained its value even as Roman influence expanded throughout the region.