# Stater (Coin) Depicting a Sea Turtle

- By: Ancient Greek
- Date: 510-485 BCE
- Medium: Silver
- Classification: Coin
- Dimensions: Diam.: 2 cm (13/16 in.)
- Culture: Aegina
- Credit line: Gift of William F. Dunham
- Museum: [Art Institute of Chicago](https://www.artic.edu/artworks/142732)
- Rights: [Public domain (CC0)](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- Picture: https://www.artic.edu/iiif/2/001da364-a103-d74c-cb23-416c69d50434/full/!1920,1080/0/default.jpg
- Who can see it: Little Ones profiles and older (museums give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the museum's own words)

Coins of Aegina depicted images of sea turtles on their coins when the island of Aegina was the supreme sea power among the Greek city-states. The sea turtle, seen here on the front (obverse) of this coin, represented its naval strength and resiliency. After its defeat by Athens in 458 BCE, Aegina ceased using the sea turtle and substituted the land tortoise to symbolize its lost sea power. On the back (reverse) of this coin is a geometric design comprised of a square with a windmill-like pattern.

Description © Art Institute of Chicago, CC BY 4.0