Smallest ancient Greek coin ?

[Grant H]

Could this be the smallest Ancient Greek coin from Sicily Gela Hexas-Dionkion  circa 480-470 BC 6mm 0.04g

[Dominic T]

Many threads have been written on this subject over the years. Here is a recent one :
DT
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=117192.0

[Jay GT4]

Tiny!

[Brennos]

The hexas is not the smallest denomination. It's theoretical weight is 0.14g...
 Are you sure of the weight of yours ? could you provide a better photo of the obverse ? (i know it's very hard  )

I have one of the smallest denomination : a silver onkia from Syracuse. It's theoretical weight is 0.07g, actual weight 0.06g

[Grant H]

Nice coin Brennos I bought the coin from [REMOVED BY MODERATOR].

[Meepzorp]

Hi GH,

I removed the dealer's name in your post above. It is against the rules to post a dealer's name here in Forum.

It also doesn't make any sense in this situation. It didn't add anything useful to the conversation.

Meepzorp

[Meepzorp]

Hi GH,

That's a nice Gela coin.

While we are on the subject of small Greek coins, I have a Calabria, Taras AR coin that is 5 mm and weighs 0.1g.

Here is a link (scroll down, third coin):

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/meepzorp/gi_calb_taras_pt04.htm

Meepzorp

[dougsmit]

Where and when was the dot fractional system of marking small silver first used?  They are common in Sicily.  Where else used that system?

[Brennos]

Nice coin Grant  
May i ask you if you have controlled the weight by yourself or if it is the weight given by the dealer ?

@doug : Gela, Syracuse, Rhegion and Messana were the first, just before 480 BC. As far i as know, Sicily and MG are the only regions that have issued such coins with pellets as value mark.

[Anaximander]

Kudos to Dominic for pointing out the earlier thread on smallest coins.

I envy Brennos for his silver onkia, and have nothing to compare.  The smallest I have doesn't come from Sicily, but from Macedon and Kyzikos.

Macedon, Argilos "Therma." 470-460 BC. AR 1/48 stater (0.24 gm). Forepart of Pegasos flying r. Anepigraphic. / Quadripartite incuse square.  VF.  SNG ANS 7 #763; ACNAC Rosen #116; Babelon Traite II #1782 (Maronee, plate LVII #6); BMC p. 138 #10-12; HGC 3.1 #486; Liampi Argilos 101-117, 122-127; SNG Cop 2 #344; SNG Ashmolean 2393; Svoronos Macedoine XXV #13 (Crestoniens, plate XIV #18); Weber 1856.

Mysia, Kyzikos. 480-450 BC. AR Trihemitartemorion (0.33 gm). Forepart of boar, l., tunny fish behind.  / Forepart of lion roaring l., K (retrograde) above, star at nose. nVF. SNG France 380-384; SNG von Aulock 1215 var; Von Fritze II 15.

These are giants compared to the smallest of the small.  Even so, I enjoyed the wisdom of a coin dealer specialized in fractional coinage, the late Guy Clark: "Don't drop it!"

Anaximander

[Rupert]

Brennos, that onkia of Syracuse is absolutely awesome! I have two Hexantes of Syracuse, and an onkia of Naxos, but never even seen an onkia of Syracuse.

It's also evident from your images that coin striking is reaching a technical limit here.

Rupert

[Grant H]

Thanks Brennos I have four of these coins with weights of 0.04,0.05,0.09,and 0.11 on the web site acsearch there are three coins with the weight of 0.04gand one of those is my coin,I just was interested if anyone has a coin that weights less,I am just going by the dealers weight a well known in Zurich.

[Grant H]

I just put them on the scale,this is now my smallest coin at 0.05g,the other one that dealer said was 0.04 is 0.07g,