Dolphin shaped bronze currency (coin, proto-money) from Greek colony – Pontic Olbia, Black Sea, 650-300 BC, 1.43 g Length: 23 mm; Weight: 1.43 g; These pieces of dolphin shaped bronze currency are from the Greek colony of Olbia, located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, in modern day Ukraine. Dolphins had an important role in Greek mythology, and the bottle-nosed dolphins that swam in the Black Sea were likely the inspiration for Olbia's uniquely shaped currency. The dolphin "coins" are an example of proto-money, which refers to any commodity that all people in an early society agreed to accept in trade. This could include shells, rings, or other small objects that were easy to find or manufacture in large amounts. History: The colony of Olbia itself was an important commercial hub for exporting fish, grains, and enslaved people to Greece, as well as importing Greek goods into Scythia. It held this status for about a thousand years, from the 7th century BCE to the 4th century CE. Pontic Olbia (Ancient Greek: Ὀλβία Ποντική; Ukrainian: Ольвія, romanized: Olviia) or simply Olbia is an archaeological site of an ancient Greek city on the shore of the Southern Bug estuary (Hypanis or Ὕπανις,) in Ukraine, near the village of Parutyne. The archaeological site is protected as the National Historic and Archaeological Preserve. The preserve is a research and science institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. In 1938–1993 it was part of the NASU Institute of Archaeology as a department. The Hellenic city was founded in the 7th century BC by colonists from Miletus. Its harbour was one of the main emporia on the Black Sea for the export of cereals, fish, and slaves to Greece, and for the import of Attic goods to Scythia.[1] Excavation Distinctive Olbian "Dolphin" coin, circa 5th–4th century BC The site of Olbia, designated an archaeological reservation, is situated near the village of Parutino in the district of Ochakiv. Before 1902, the site was owned by the Counts Musin-Pushkins, who did not allow any excavations on their estate. Professional excavations were conducted under Boris Farmakovsky from 1901 to 1915 and from 1924 to 1926. As the site was never reoccupied, archaeological finds (particularly inscriptions and sculpture) proved rich. Today archaeologists are under pressure to explore the site, which is being eroded by the Black Sea. At 2016 started in Olbia excavations of the Polish Archaeological Mission "Olbia" of the National Museum in Warsaw headed by Alfred Twardecki. Many of the more notable finds from the period are visible in the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Notable finds from the town include an archaic Greek house in a good state of preservation from the area of the later acropolis and a private letter (written on a lead tablet) dating to around 500 BCE, complaining about an attempt to claim a slave.[4]