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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Themes & Provenance| ▸ |Numismatics| ▸ |Archaic Origins||View Options:   | | | The coins below are among the first struck by mankind. Coins struck in the later classical and Hellenistic periods, but in archaic or archaized style are also included here. Click here to read "From the Origin of Coins to Croesus." |
"Greek Turtles" minted on the island of Aegina were most likely the first coins struck in Europe. They were popular in their own time and accepted for payment far from the island. Because they were the first European coin type and because they are attractive and interesting, the "Greek Turtle" is considered a "must have" by many ancient coin collectors.GS112504. Silver stater, HGC 6 433 (S); Meadows Aegina Group IIc; Asyut Group VI; SNG Cop 503; SNG Munchen 536; Milbank -, BMC Attica -, F, tight flan, bumps and marks, punch on rev., weight 11.808 g, maximum diameter 19.0 mm, Aigina (Aegina) mint, c. 525 - 475 B.C.; obverse sea-tortoise (Chelone Caouana) or common loggerhead turtle of the Mediterranean, collar at the top and row of six dots down the middle the ridge of the shell; reverse incuse square with skew device; from the P.S. Collection, ex Calgary Coin, ex Alberta Coins, ex Harlan J. Berk, ex Lewis Egnew Collection; scarce; $450.00 (€423.00)
Aspendos, Pamphylia, c. 465 - 430 B.C.
In 467 B.C. the Athenian statesman and military commander Cimon, and his fleet of 200 ships, destroyed the Persian navy based at the mouth of the river Eurymedon in a surprise attack. In order to crush to Persian land forces, he tricked the Persians by sending his best fighters ashore wearing the garments of the hostages he had seized earlier. When they saw these men, the Persians thought that they were compatriots freed by the enemy and arranged festivities in celebration. Taking advantage of this, Cimon landed and annihilated the Persians. Aspendos then became a member of the Attic-Delos Maritime league.
Roma Numismatics speculated that the undertype of the present coin was the uncertain Cypriot stater of the ram with ankh symbol/laurel branch type. A tantalizing suggestion, but a likelier candidate for the host stater is an issue of neighboring Side with a pomegranate on the obverse and the head of Athena within an incuse square on the reverse. On the warrior side of our Aspendus coin, we see hints of the fruit, including its prominent stem flanked by two leaves. There are also suggestions of Athena’s neck on the reverse.GS114035. Silver stater, SNG Fitzwilliam 5052 (same rev. die); SNG BnF 2 var. (no tortoise; same rev. die); cf. SNGvA 4484 (EΣ only; rev. tortoise; lion btw triskeles), aVF, oval flan struck with worn dies, clean bright surfaces, overstruck with traces of undertype visible on both sides, weight 10.896 g, maximum diameter 24.6 mm, die axis 180o, Aspendos (Serik, Turkey) mint, c. 465 - 430 B.C.; obverse warrior advancing right, wearing crested helmet, nude, couched spear in right hand, round shield on left arm, tortoise between legs; reverse triskeles of human legs clockwise, EΣT high across field, crouching lion lower left behind triskeles, all within an incuse square; interesting overstrike; ex Roma Numismatics e-sale 112 (7 Sep 2023), lot 408; $350.00 (€329.00)
Roman Republic and Central Italy, c. 5th - 4th Century B.C., Lot of 7 Aes Rude Fragments
In Italy, as with other nations, early trade used a system of barter. Aes rude (Latin: "rough bronze"), used perhaps as early as the early 8th century B.C., was the earliest metal proto-currency in central Italy. In the 5th century B.C., bronze replaced cattle as the primary measure of value in trade. Aes rude are rough lumpy bronze ingots with no marks or design, some are flat and oblong, others are square, while many are irregular and shapeless. The metal is mostly copper with roughly 5% tin. Weight varies considerably with some exceeding twelve pounds and others under an ounce. Many smaller examples are fragments of broken larger specimens. A balance was necessary to measure value for commercial transactions.LT110958. Bronze Lot, Lot of 7 aes rude fragments, cf. BMCRR I p. 1, Haeberlin pl. 1, Vecchi ICC pl. 1, Thurlow-Vecchi pl. 2, SRCV I 505, weight 33.5g - 64.9g, c. 5th - 4th Century B.C.; no tags or flips, the actual pieces in the photograph, as-is, no returns, 7 pieces; $300.00 (€282.00)
Roman Republic and Central Italy, c. 5th - 4th Century B.C., Lot of 7 Aes Rude Fragments
In Italy, as with other nations, early trade used a system of barter. Aes rude (Latin: "rough bronze"), used perhaps as early as the early 8th century B.C., was the earliest metal proto-currency in central Italy. In the 5th century B.C., bronze replaced cattle as the primary measure of value in trade. Aes rude are rough lumpy bronze ingots with no marks or design, some are flat and oblong, others are square, while many are irregular and shapeless. The metal is mostly copper with roughly 5% tin. Weight varies considerably with some exceeding twelve pounds and others under an ounce. Many smaller examples are fragments of broken larger specimens. A balance was necessary to measure value for commercial transactions.LT110961. Bronze Lot, Lot of 7 aes rude fragments, cf. BMCRR I p. 1, Haeberlin pl. 1, Vecchi ICC pl. 1, Thurlow-Vecchi pl. 2, SRCV I 505, weight c. 40 - 241g, no tags or flips, the actual pieces in the photograph; $270.00 (€253.80)
Roman Republic and Central Italy, c. 5th - 4th Century B.C., Lot of 10 Aes Rude Fragments
In Italy, as with other nations, early trade used a system of barter. Aes rude (Latin: "rough bronze"), used perhaps as early as the early 8th century B.C., was the earliest metal proto-currency in central Italy. In the 5th century B.C., bronze replaced cattle as the primary measure of value in trade. Aes rude are rough lumpy bronze ingots with no marks or design, some are flat and oblong, others are square, while many are irregular and shapeless. The metal is mostly copper with roughly 5% tin. Weight varies considerably with some exceeding twelve pounds and others under an ounce. Many smaller examples are fragments of broken larger specimens. A balance was necessary to measure value for commercial transactions.LT110941. Bronze Lot, Lot of 10 aes rude fragments, cf. BMCRR I p. 1, Haeberlin pl. 1, Vecchi ICC pl. 1, Thurlow-Vecchi pl. 2, SRCV I 505, average weight c. 73g, no tags or flips, the actual pieces in the photograph, as is, no returns, 10 pieces; $260.00 (€244.40)
Iberian Celts, Lot of 10 Hacksilver Fragments, c. 300 - 150 B.C.
Hacksilver or hacksilber, are fragments of cut and bent silver items treated as bullion, either for ease of carrying before melting down for re-use, or simply used as currency by weight. It was common in trade until the first century B.C. and again in the middle ages with the Vikings.GA110589. Hacksilver Lot, cf. Garcia-Bellido 393, Kim and Kroll 66; Van Alfen Hacksilber 85; weights range from 0.698g - 3.960g, $255.00 (€239.70)
Iberian Celts, Hacksilver, c. 300 - 150 B.C.
Hacksilver or hacksilber, is ancient silver disks, bars, rods, foil, and broken and cut fragments of those forms and also of coins, jewelry or other silver items used as a medium of exchange by weight. It was common in trade beginning at the end of the Iron Age, c. 1200 B.C. in the Levant, and lasted until the first century B.C., were it was used by the Celts and other tribal people in Hispania and Gaul. It was used again in the Middle Ages by the Vikings.CE113349. Hacksilver fragment, cf. Van Alfen Hacksilber 57, Kim and Kroll 54, Garcia-Bellido 393, 41.621g, 34.7mm long, c. 300 - 150 B.C.; $250.00 (€235.00)
Mytilene, Lesbos, 521 - 478 B.C., Ancient Counterfeit
Counterfeiting began almost immediately after the first coinage was introduced. The official Mytilene coin was solid electrum, a mixture of gold and silver. This coin is plated with electrum over a base core, struck by a criminal counterfeiter in ancient times, intended for circulation as the official prototype. The low weight identifies this as is a plated coin.GA114610. Fouree electrum plated hekte, cf. Bodenstedt 9.1, HGC 6 933 (official Mytilene mint prototype, solid electrum), VF, rough spots, weight 2.086 g, maximum diameter 10.3 mm, die axis 180o, unofficial criminal mint, 521 - 478 B.C.; obverse forepart of winged lion left; reverse incuse head of cock left, rectangular punch to right; $250.00 (€235.00)
Caria, Uncertain Mint D (?), c. 480 - 450 B.C.
The denomination of hemitartemorion for our tiny silver fraction must remain uncertain. Troxell thought the Carian "Uncertain Mint D" series was struck according to the Attic standard, the Persic was supported in SNG Keckman I, and Konuk has favored the Milesian in his work, including SNG Kayhan I and "Coin Legends in Carian," in Ignacio Adiego's The Carian Language (2007). Historia Numorum Online (HNO) also states the coins are on the Milesian standard. If a Milesian stater weighs 14.2 grams, than the theoretical weight of a hemitartemorion would be ~0.15 grams.
Although the faces of both bulls do look a little "man-faced," Prof. Nicholas Molinari, author of ΠOTAMIKON: Sinews of Acheloios, A Comprehensive Catalog of the Bronze Coinage of the Man-Faced Bull, with Essays on Origin and Identity (2016), has expressed doubts on this hypothesis, although he was careful not to say it contained a bunch of bull.
For more information on another, more certain, "Uncertain Mint D" issue, search for GA113198 in the FORVM Shop catalog.GA113197. Silver hemitartemorion, cf. HNO T2613 (larger denomination, different style), Troxwell Carians -, SNG Keckman I -, SNG Kayhan I -, Konuk Carian -, gF, well-defined bulls, grainy surfaces, rev. off-centered in an incuse circle, weight 0.174 g, maximum diameter 5.3 mm, die axis 180o, uncertain Carian mint, c. 480 - 450 B.C.; obverse forepart of an anthropomorphized(?) bull right with both forelegs; reverse forepart of an anthropomorphized(?) bull left with both forelegs; from the Michael Arslan Collection, possibly an unpublished hemitartemorion issue; extremely rare; $170.00 (€159.80)
Iberian Celts, Hacksilver, c. 300 - 150 B.C.
Hacksilver or hacksilber, are fragments of cut and bent silver items treated as bullion, either for ease of carrying before melting down for re-use, or simply used as currency by weight. It was common in trade until the first century B.C. and again in the middle ages with the Vikings.CE113350. Hacksilver fragment, cf. Gitler Hacksilber14, Kim and Kroll 55 ff., 25.654g, 19.2mm long, $160.00 (€150.40)
Roman Republic, 4th Century B.C., Aes Formatum, Domed Disk Ingot Fragment
In Italy, as with other nations, early trade used a system of barter. Aes rude (Latin: "rough bronze"), used perhaps as early as the early 8th century B.C., was the earliest metal proto-currency in central Italy. In the 5th century B.C., bronze replaced cattle as the primary measure of value in trade. Called aes formatum by Haeberlin, this very rare bronze currency was later than the aes rude and a precursor to the issues of aes grave. Presumably, the molten bronze alloy was poured into a shallow hole in the dirt. This left a disc-shaped metal mound with a flat reverse. This specimen is a fragment of broken from a disk for a smaller transaction or to make change. A scale was necessary to measure value for commercial transactions.AS96269. Cast bronze Aes Formatum, cf. Haeberlin p. 4, pl. 2.7; fragment 172.9g, 61mm, VF, light corrosion, earthen encrustation, 4th century B.C.; obverse convex obverse; reverse flat reverse; $150.00 (€141.00)
Selinous, Sicily, c. 450 - 440 B.C.
Selinus was once one of the most important Greek colonies in Sicily. In 409 B.C., the Carthaginians attacked with a vast army believed to include at least 100,000 men. Selinus, with a population of about 30,000 excluding slaves, was unprepared and an auxiliary force promised by Syracuse, Agrigentum and Gela did not arrive. The Selinuntines defended themselves with courage, and after the walls were breached, continued to fight from house to house. After tens days the city fell. Of the citizens, 16,000 were slain and 5,000 made prisoners, but more than 2,600 escaped to Agrigento.GI112253. Bronze cast tetras, Calciati I p. 236, 7; BMC Sicily p. 143, 50; SNG Munchen 897; HGC 2 1234 (R1); SNG Cop -; SNG ANS -; SNG Morcom -; SNG Tüb -, F, dark green patina, scratches, porosity, weight 9.325 g, maximum diameter 19.8 mm, die axis 270o, Selinus mint, c. 450 - 440 B.C.; obverse horned head of young river god left, hair gathered at back of neck, anepigraphic; reverse wild celery (selinon) leaf, three pellets (mark of value) around, anepigraphic; rare; $150.00 (€141.00)
Iberian Celts, Lot of 5 Hacksilver Fragments, c. 300 - 150 B.C.
Hacksilver or hacksilber, are fragments of cut and bent silver items treated as bullion, either for ease of carrying before melting down for re-use, or simply used as currency by weight. It was common in trade until the first century B.C. and again in the middle ages with the Vikings.CE99421. Hacksilver Lot, cf. Garcia-Bellido 393, Kim and Kroll 66; Van Alfen Hacksilber 85, $125.00 (€117.50)
Selinous, Sicily, c. 450 - 440 B.C.
Selinous was once one of the most important Greek colonies in Sicily. In 409 B.C., the Carthaginians attacked with a vast army believed to include at least 100,000 men. Selinus, with a population of about 30,000 excluding slaves, was unprepared and an auxiliary force promised by Syracuse, Agrigentum and Gela did not arrive. The Selinuntines defended themselves with courage, and after the walls were breached, continued to fight from house to house. After tens days the city fell. Of the citizens, 16,000 were slain and 5,000 made prisoners, but more than 2,600 escaped to Agrigento.GI112252. Bronze cast tetras, Calciati I p. 235, 4; SNG Lloyd 1272; HGC 2 1233 (R1); BMC Sicily -; SNG Cop -; SNG ANS -; SNG Munchen -; SNG Morcom -; SNG Tüb -, F, dark patina, spots of corrosion, scratches, weight 11.855 g, maximum diameter 20.4 mm, die axis 180o, Selinus mint, 450 - 440 B.C.; obverse facing head of Medusa (gorgoneion), anepigraphic; reverse wild celery (selinon) leaf, three pellets (mark of value) around, anepigraphic; rare; $125.00 (€117.50)
Persian Empire, Lydia, Anatolia, Darius II - Artaxerxes II, c. 420 - 375 B.C.
| This type was minted in Lydia, Anatolia, while under Persian control, prior to Alexander the Great's conquest. The Persian or Achaemenid Empire (c. 550 - 330 B.C.) was the largest empire in ancient history extending across Asia, Africa and Europe, including Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, parts of Central Asia, Asia Minor, Thrace and Macedonia, much of the Black Sea coastal regions, Iraq, northern Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Palestine and Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and much of ancient Egypt as far west as Libya. |  |
Persian Empire, Lydia, Anatolia, Darius II - Artaxerxes II, c. 420 - 375 B.C.
| This type was minted in Lydia, Anatolia, while under Persian control, prior to Alexander the Great's conquest. The Persian or Achaemenid Empire (c. 550 - 330 B.C.) was the largest empire in ancient history extending across Asia, Africa and Europe, including Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, parts of Central Asia, Asia Minor, Thrace and Macedonia, much of the Black Sea coastal regions, Iraq, northern Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Palestine and Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and much of ancient Egypt as far west as Libya. | |
Lesbos, c. 500 - 450 B.C.
A most unusual use of illusion on a coin. The two confronting boars' heads can also be viewed as the facing head of a panther.GA114944. Billon 1/12 stater, SNGvA 7712; SNG Munchen 646; Rosen 542; BMC Troas p. 151, 15; HGC 6 1069 (R2); SNG Cop -, VF, dark toning, rev. encrusted, weight 1.175 g, maximum diameter 9.7 mm, uncertain Koinon of Lesbos mint, c. 500 - 450 B.C.; obverse confronting boar heads, creating the illusion of a facing head of a panther; reverse incuse square punch, M in one quarter; $100.00 (€94.00)
Apollonia Pontika, Thrace, c. 540 - 470 B.C.
Apollonia Pontica was founded as Antheia by Greek colonists from Miletus in the 7th century B.C. They soon changed its name to Apollonia after building a temple for Apollo. The temple contained a colossal statue of Apollo by Calamis, which was later taken to Rome and placed in the Capitol. The anchor on the coinage is evidence of the importance of its maritime trade. GA113849. Silver hemiobol, SNG Bulgaria II 95; Topalov Apollonia p. 570, 17; SNG Stancomb 32; HGC 3.2 1326 (R1), VF, tight flan, weight 0.412 g, maximum diameter 6.8 mm, Apollonia Pontica (Sozopol, Bulgaria) mint, c. 540 - 470 B.C.; obverse anchor flukes up, large flukes, perpendicular crossbar, four pellets below; reverse swastika pattern, bends to right (clockwise), ends forked, two lines parallel to ends in each quarter; rare; $90.00 (€84.60)
Persian Empire, Lydia, Anatolia, Darius II - Artaxerxes II, c. 420 - 375 B.C.
| This type was minted in Lydia, Anatolia, while under Persian control, prior to Alexander the Great's conquest. The Persian or Achaemenid Empire (c. 550 - 330 B.C.) was the largest empire in ancient history extending across Asia, Africa and Europe, including Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, parts of Central Asia, Asia Minor, Thrace and Macedonia, much of the Black Sea coastal regions, Iraq, northern Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Palestine and Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and much of ancient Egypt as far west as Libya. | |
Apollonia Pontika, Thrace, c. 540 - 470 B.C.
Apollonia Pontica was founded as Antheia by Greek colonists from Miletus in the 7th century B.C. They soon changed its name to Apollonia after building a temple for Apollo. The temple contained a colossal statue of Apollo by Calamis, which was later taken to Rome and placed in the Capitol. The anchor on the coinage is evidence of the importance of its maritime trade. MA114219. Silver hemiobol, SNG Bulgaria II 95; Topalov Apollonia p. 570, 17; SNG Stancomb 32; HGC 3.2 1326 (R1), VF, bumps, scratches, tight flan, weight 0.458 g, maximum diameter 7.0 mm, Apollonia Pontica (Sozopol, Bulgaria) mint, c. 540 - 470 B.C.; obverse anchor flukes up, large flukes, perpendicular crossbar, four pellets below; reverse swastika pattern, bends to right (clockwise), ends forked, two lines parallel to ends in each quarter; rare; $75.00 (€70.50)
Iberian Celts, Hacksilver, c. 300 - 150 B.C.
Hacksilver or hacksilber, are fragments of cut and bent silver items treated as bullion, either for ease of carrying before melting down for re-use, or simply used as currency by weight. It was common in trade until the first century B.C. and again in the middle ages with the Vikings.CE97982. Hacksilver fragment, cf. Van Alfen Hacksilber 57, Kim and Kroll 59, Garcia-Bellido 393; 8.349g, 19.3mm long, $65.00 (€61.10)
Iberian Celts, Hacksilver, c. 300 - 150 B.C.
Hacksilver or hacksilber, are fragments of cut and bent silver items treated as bullion, either for ease of carrying before melting down for re-use, or simply used as currency by weight. It was common in trade until the first century B.C. and again in the middle ages with the Vikings.CE95745. Hacksilver fragment, cf. Garcia-Bellido 393, Kim and Kroll 66, Van Alfen Hacksilber 85; cut from a bar or disc ingot, 1.75g, 24.1mm long, weight 11.752 g, maximum diameter 24.1 mm, $60.00 (€56.40)
Ionia, c. 650 - 600 B.C., Striated Type
Mankind's first coin type with an obverse and reverse! Rare and important. The earliest dated coin hoard was deposited in the foundation of the Artemision, the temple of Artemis at Ephesos, as an offering during construction, c. 600 B.C. These earliest coins, which included this type, were struck from electrum, a natural alloy of gold and silver found as nuggets in the rivers and streams of Lydia and Ionia. This striated type is the first type to have an obverse design in addition to the reverse punch. Because of its simple obverse design, it is described by some authorities as the first true coin.SH82694. Electrum Hekte (1/6 Stater), Milesian standard; Weidauer 6, Traité I 12, SNGvA 1769, SNG Kayhan 680, Karwiese Artemision I.6, SNG Fitzwilliam -, Rosen -, Zhuyuetang -, VF, weight 2.365 g, maximum diameter 8.7 mm, Ionia, uncertain mint, c. 650 - 600 B.C.; obverse flattened striated surface; reverse two rough approximately square incuse punches; ex Harlan J. Berk; rare and important; SOLD
Phokaia, Ionia, c. 625 - 522 B.C.
Phocaea, or Phokaia, was an ancient Ionian Greek city on the western coast of Anatolia. Greek colonists from Phocaea founded the colony of Massalia (modern day Marseille, in France) in 600 B.C., Emporion (modern day Empúries, in Catalonia, Spain) in 575 B.C. and Elea (modern day Velia, in Campania, Italy) in 540 B.C.SH86204. Electrum Hekte (1/6 Stater), Triton XVI, lot 464; Bodenstedt - (cf. Em. 1), aEF, well centered and struck, small edge cracks, weight 2.575 g, maximum diameter 10.3 mm, die axis 0o, Phokaia (Foca, Turkey) mint, c. 625/0 - 522 B.C.; obverse forepart of seal right, dolphin swimming downward behind, annulet or ring below; reverse irregular incuse square punch; ex Numismatik Naumann auction 40, lot 270; extremely rare; SOLD
Lydian Kingdom, Kroisos, c. 561 - 546 B.C.
The Lydian King Croesus minted the first silver and gold coins. He was famous for his extraordinary wealth, but after his defeat by Cyrus in 546 B.C. Lydia became a Persian satrapy. The Persian conquerors of Lydia continued to strike the same Croesus' silver half siglos and gold stater types. This coin is an early example issued under Croesus. We can tell it is an early example because the lion and the bull were struck separately, with one punch at a time. Later examples appear to have been struck with single punch only made to look like two separate punches.GA33281. Silver siglos (half-stater), BMC Lydia p. 7, 45, pl. 1, 18; SNG Cop 456; SNG Kayhan 1024; SNG Ashmolean 762; SNGvA 2877; Rosen 663; SGCV II 3420, gVF, weight 5.375 g, maximum diameter 16.3 mm, probably Sardes (Sart, Turkey) mint, c. 561 - 546 B.C.; obverse on the left, forepart of a roaring lion right, confronting, on the right, the forepart of a bull left; reverse two incuse square punches, of unequal size, side by side; SOLD
Lydian Kingdom, Uncertain King Before Kroisos, c. 625 - 546 B.C.
The knob on the lion's snout is also described as a "wart," and as the radiant Sun.SH85432. Electrum Trite (1/3 Stater), Weidauer Series XVI 86, SNGvA 2869, SNG Kayhan 1013, Rosen 655, Boston MFA 1763, VF, bumps and marks, earthen deposits, weight 4.709 g, maximum diameter 12.8 mm, Sardes (Sart, Turkey) mint, c. 625 - 546 B.C; obverse Head of roaring lion right, with knob rays atop snout; reverse two incuse squares; SOLD
Lydian Kingdom, Alyattes - Kroisos, c. 620 - 539 B.C.
The knob on the lion's snout is also described as a "wart," and as the radiant Sun.SH91787. Electrum Trite (1/3 Stater), Weidauer group XVI 86; SNGvA 2868; SNG Cop 449; SNG Lockett 2977; SNG Ash 749; Rosen 655; Boston MFA 1764; BMC Lydia 2, 7, pl. I, 6, aVF, banker's marks, weight 4.665 g, maximum diameter 12.5 mm, Sardes (Sart, Turkey) mint, c. 620/610-550/539 B.C.; obverse head of roaring lion right, with knob and rays atop snout; reverse irregular divided rectangular incuse; SOLD
Aegina, Saronic Islands, Greece, c. 525 - 485 B.C.
The turtle coin type is considered a "must have" by many ancient coin collectors because Aegina was probably the first place in Europe to issue coinage.SH87351. Silver stater, HGC 6 429 (S); Meadows Aegina group IIb; Asyut group IVb; BMC Attica p. 127, 10; SNG Delepierre 1509; SNG Mün 532; Dewing 1657; SNG Cop -, VF, well centered on a tight flan, light toning, light marks and scratches, uncertain countermark or banker's mark on shell, weight 12.066 g, maximum diameter 19.2 mm, Aigina mint, c. 525 - 485 B.C.; obverse sea turtle, head in profile, straight raised heavy collar, smooth shell with a row of pellets down center, countermark (acanthus pattern?) on shell; reverse incuse square in mill sail pattern; ex Hixenbaugh Ancient Art (New York); scarce; SOLD
Persian Achaemenid Empire, Satrapy of Lydia (Uncertain City in Caria), c. 515 - 475 B.C.
A lion head or forepart was a popular type, and most popular in Caria, but none of the published examples are similar enough to indicate a close relationship to this coin or provide a clue to its origin more specific than Caria, c. early 5th century. There is significant wear on the dies, so apparently many examples of this type were struck, but this is the only example we know to exist today.GS71615. Silver stater, Unpublished; SNG Kayhan -, cf. 930 ('Mylasa?' probably unrelated); SNGvA -; SNG Cop -; SNG Keckman -; SNG Munchen -; Rosen -; Dewing -; Asyut -, VF, weight 10.848 g, maximum diameter 22.9 mm, probably Mylasa (Milas, Turkey) mint, c. 515 - 475 B.C.; obverse lion's head right with gaping jaws, protruding tongue, foreleg below; reverse quadripartite incuse square, divided diagonally by one thick and one thin band; ex Numismatik Lanz München, auction 144 (24 Nov 2008), lot 255; unique?; SOLD
Samos, Islands off Ionia, c. 526 - 524 B.C.
Samos is the birthplace of Pythagoras. One of the famous attractions of the island is the aqueduct-tunnel which was dug through a mountain to bring water to the city from a secret spring. The tunnel was in use for a very long period and discovered in 19th century thanks to Herodotos' writing of it. The tunnel is over 1000m long, an engineering marvel dug from both ends by two simultaneously working teams.GA41265. Silver drachm, BMC Ionia p. 354, 45; SNG Cop 1674; SNGvA 2290, EF/VF, weight 3.114 g, maximum diameter 12.9 mm, die axis 270o, Islands of Ionia, Samos mint, obverse forepart of winged boar right; reverse facing lion scalp within dotted square within incuse square; ex Numismatic Fine Arts, Edward Gans, 10 Rock Lane, Berkeley, 12/64, $75; from the Dr. J. Hewitt Judd Collection (author of United States Pattern Coins Experimental & Trial Pieces); SOLD
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