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Kim, H. & J. Kroll. "A Hoard of Archaic Coin of Colophon and Unminted Silver (CH I.3)" in AJN 20 (2008), pp. 53 - 103, pls. 12 - 36.
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This hoard of the later 6th century BC consists of 903 minute
silver coins in essentially two denominations, and 77 pieces of unminted
silver, over half of which are small, unweighed disks apparently made
for monetary exchange. The coins are the earliest coins of Colophon, and
the circumstance that they are smaller than all but three of the pieces
of unminted silver suggests that when the hoard was buried the
Colophonians were employing what might be termed a bi-specie monetary
system: small coins for very low level transactions, and bullion weighed
on the balance for transactions involving more substantial sums.
Unminted silver (Pls. 12-13)
Weights are given in grams. Dimensions (length/width/thickness) in millimeters.
Hammered disks (and other shapes)
Flat on both sides. One face normally shows two to five slight facets from hammering, while the other face, compressed against the surface of an anvil, is perfectly smooth.
1. 25.39 31/21/6 Thick.
2. 14.83 23/17/5
3. 12.02 25/16/4.5 Because of the tapering thickness, hammering failed to flatten the metal at its thinner end, which retains traces of relief on both sides from prior working. The lines and grooves in the relief are jumbled and do not suggest any design or lettering, such as would indicate that the metal had previously been a coin.
4. 11.61 22/22/5
5. 10.84 26/15/4 About a quarter of the original metal was chopped off at one end with three chisel cuts.
6. 10.24 20/16/5
7. 8.62 20/14/5
8. 7.20 21/16/3 Multiple small facets on upper face; cf. 22, 35.
9. 5.90 15/12/3.5 The smoother, anvil side is lightly scratched with nine, apparently random lines.
10. 5.72 15/14/3.5 The wide, deeply punched hole on one side was presumably punched for testing, probably before the piece was hammered.
11. 5.12 15/13/3
12. 4.53 16/12/3 A piece had been chopped off the small end before hammering.
13- 4.16 12/8/3 Cut into rectangle and then hammered (facets on one face).
14. 4.04 14/13/3
15. 4.01 13/13/3
16. 3.82 12/11/4 Thick.
17. 3.72 16/13/2
18. 3.72 16/11/2.5
19. 3.55 18/11/2.5 One side cut before hammering.
20. 3.29 13/11/2.5
21. 3.14 16/12/2
22. 2-93 18/12/2 Multiple facets on one side.
23. 2.89 13/11/2
24 2.61 12/11/2
25. 2.52 16/8/2
26. 2.49 13/12/3-1 Half of disk that was snapped in two after the thickness was reduced with small facets towards the middle.
27. 2.46 11/11/2.5
28. 2.24 8/12/2-1.5 Half of disk that was snapped in two after the thickness was reduced, like 26.
29. 2.11 12/9/2
30. 1-97 11/7/2
31- 1.94 11/11/2
32- 1.91 14/10/1.5-1 Thickness tapers towards both ends.
33- 1.86 11/9/2
34- 1-77 10/7/3
35. 1.72 15/9/1-0.5 Thickness tapers towards both ends. Multiple small facets on both sides, cf. 8.
36. 1.70 10/9/2
37. 1.67 10/9/2
38. 1.66 8/8/4 Thick.
39- 1.61 12/10/1.5
40. 1.44 11/9/1.5 Rough, unworn edges.
41. 1-37 11/10/1.5 Rough, unworn edges.
42- 1.36 10/9/2 Half of a sharply cut disk.
43. 1.32 10/Ii/1.5 Metal probably with 1 or 2 cut edges before flattening.
44- 1.10 10/9/1.5
45. 1.09 6/6/3.5 A partially flatten cube. Thick.
46. 0.92 9/8/1
47- 0.76 11/10/1
48- 0.69 7/7/1
49- 0.58 7/7/1
50. 0.43 7/6/1
51- 0.41 7/5/1 Rough edges before flattening
52- 0.24 5/5/1
Amorphous lumps
53. 40.84 31/18/15 Lumpy, curved piece of silver, cast roughly in the shape of the letter pi. If straightened out into a more or less flat bar, the bar would measure 60 x 18mm, with a thickness of about 10 mm.
54. 10.22 22/13/6 Bean-shaped lump, rough and rounded on all sides.
Fragments chopped from disks or other ingot types
55. 5.13 17/14/5-1 4 edges, of which 2 are cut. Thickness tapers.
56. 4.92 18/10/6 4 edges, of which 3 are cut.
57. 4.78 16/10/5 4 edges, all cut.
58. 2.89 11/10/3 4 edges, all cut.
59. 1.62 9/7/4 5 edges, of which 3 are cut.
60. 1.58 9/8/5 6 edges, of which 4 are cut.
61. 1.51 7/7/4 6 edges, of which 5 are cut.
62. 1.01 7/7/4.5 6 edges, of which 4 are cut.
63. 1.05 7/6/4 4 edges, all cut.
64. 1.03 9/7/3 6 sides, all cut.
65. 0.47 8/7/1.5 4 sides, of which 3 are cut.
Scrap pieces of worked silver
66. 12.85 25/23/8 Thin, silver sheeting (c. 1 mm thick) tightly folded over 3 or 4 times. The yellowish hue of the surface and a small (c. 2 x 3 mm), adhering flake of gold foil show that the silver had formerly been gilded. It had also been embossed with an indeterminate design, which included a large area stippled with closely-placed dash-like punches.
67. 3.65 9/8/2 Cut end of tongue-shaped strip, bent in curve.
68. 2.79 1 l/th. 5-7 Fragment of a rod, cut at each end.
69. 2.65 15/8/2.5 Cut at left and right from 8 mm wide strip.
70. 2.58 16/8/2 Cut at left and right from 8 mm wide strip.
71. 2.59 13/10/2 Spirally wound wire (2 mm thick) with finished ends, from an ear ring.
72. 2.48 13/12/ 3.5-2 Curved piece of wire (3.5-2 mm thick), cut at both ends.
73. 2.04 13/n/2Spirallywoundwire(2mm thick) with finished ends as 71.
74. 1.84 8/6/7 Fragment, probably from a fibula, where a round and a cubed section were joined. Cut at each end.
75. 1.84 10/11/1 Tongue-shaped strip (1 mm thick), round at both ends, bent double and pinched together.
76. 1.42 8/8/1 Tongue-shaped strip (1 mm thick), round at both ends, bent in curve.
77. 0.76 10/7/1 Length of jewelry band (1 mm thick), ornamented with wire borders and band of raised rectangles in between. Cut at both ends and rolled into a loop.
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