ISLE OF MAN 1 Crown 1997
Felis Silvestris Grampia - HISTORY OF THE CAT
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The Isle of Man launched
a series of crowns depicting the History of the Cat. These coins trace
the development of the cat from wild origins to its revered position in
ancient Egypt and to the modern-day Manx Cat from the Isle of Man.
Cats
can be traced back to ancient times in Egypt and Rome.About 4,000 years
ago, the ancient Egyptians carved wooden figures of cats. They also
made furniture and jewelry in the shape of cats. In ancient Rome, the
cat was a symbol of liberty.
Somewhere between the First and Second Ice Ages, 900,000 to 600,000
years ago, a very special cat, felis sylvestris, made its appearance,
and is still with us as the European Wildcat. During the Second Ice Age,
the glaciers moved down from the north, driving him southward. At the
same time, the Mediterranean and Black Seas were greatly reduced in
size, providing many land bridges to the south into Africa and to the
east around the foot of the Urals into Asia, allowing him to extend his
domain into those regions.
As the ice receded the seas rose and
the climates changed, the immi- grant species became isolated from each
other by water, deserts, and mountains. Over time, those species of
wildcat isolated in Africa became the Sand Cat, the African Wildcat, the
Forest Cat, and the Black-Footed Cat, while the Asian version became
the Chinese Desert Cat. There were, of course, several other subspecies
that, for one
reason or another, didn't survive the changing landscape and climate.
One
of felis sylvestris' many offshoots was felis lybica, the African
Wildcat. He is still with us, but, more importantly, he is the immediate
and primary ancestor of all domestic cats.
Limited Mintage .
Coins specification :
1 Crown 1997 28.28 g., 0.925 silver 38.5 mm. km-778
History of the Cat - Felis Silvestris Grampia
comes in its original capsule , including Mint Box & Certificate of Authenticity . Rare coin
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