February
25
/ 2022
Olbia (also spelled Olvia) began as an ancient Greek colony on the northern coast of the Black Sea, in the southern part of modern-day Ukraine. Olbia was famous as an emporium, and the importance of trade to the settlement is reflected in the coinage found at the site. The Olbians minted their own coins, the most enigmatic of which were their bronze “dolphin” coins. As its name suggests, this type of money takes the form of a dolphin. The dolphin money of Olbia first came into circulation during the 5th century BC, and continued to be used in the following century, when more traditional types of coins were also minted. Although Olbia dolphin money was used as a form of
