Iasos in Caria, 200-150 BC., issued by magistrate Pantainos, Æ25, SNG Cop. 414.

Iasos in Caria, issued by magistrate Pantainos, 200-150 BC.,
Æ25 (ø 24,5 mm / 8,67 g), bronze, axes medal alignment ↑↑ (ca. 0°),
Obv.: laureate head of Apollo (Artemis ?) facing right.
Rev.: ΠANTAINoΣ / IAΣEΩN , the youth Hermias swimming with dolphin right.
SNG Cop. 414 ; Head HNp. 621 var. (module) ; Karl coll. - ; BMC - ; SNG Keckman - .

The boy and dolphin as a coin-type of the Iasians is mentioned by Aelian (Hist. Anim., vi. 15), Plutarch (De solert. Anim., 36) and Pollux (ix. 84). The story of the love of a dolphin for a youth of Iasus, who is called Hermias by Plutarch and Pliny (N. H., ix. 8), and Dionysius by Athenaeus (xiii. 606), may have had an historical basis, for Alexander the Great is said to have ordered the boy to be sent to his court.