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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Greek Coins| ▸ |Geographic - All Periods| ▸ |Anatolia| ▸ |Ionia| ▸ |Archaic Electrum||View Options:  |  |  | 

Archaic Electrum Coinage from Ionia (and its Neighbors)

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 many of the types on this page, were struck from electrum, an alloy of gold and silver. The very earliest coins (sometimes described as proto-coins) were type-less (blank) electrum globules weighed to a specific standard with simple square punch marks on one side. After lines cut into the anvil (probably to prevent the blank globule from slipping) were transferred to coin, the obverse design was discovered. Soon, more complex designs were engraved into the anvil (and later into dies) and coinage as we know it was created. Click here to read "From the Origin of Coins to Croesus."

Mytilene, Lesbos, 521 - 478 B.C., Ancient Counterfeit

|Lesbos|, |Mytilene,| |Lesbos,| |521| |-| |478| |B.C.,| |Ancient| |Counterfeit||hekte|
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)
 


Ionia, c. 650 - 600 B.C., Striated Type

|Archaic| |Electrum|, |Ionia,| |c.| |650| |-| |600| |B.C.,| |Striated| |Type||Hekte| |(1/6| |Stater)|
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.
SH87928. 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, light marks, earthen deposits, weight 2.293 g, maximum diameter 10.2 mm, Ionia, uncertain mint, c. 650 - 600 B.C.; obverse flattened striated surface; reverse two rough approximately square incuse punches; rare and important; SOLD


Ionia, c. 650 - 600 B.C., Striated Type

|Archaic| |Electrum|, |Ionia,| |c.| |650| |-| |600| |B.C.,| |Striated| |Type||Hekte| |(1/6| |Stater)|
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.
SH28071. 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 2.373 g, maximum diameter 8.6 mm, Ionia, uncertain mint, c. 650 - 600 B.C.; obverse flattened striated surface; reverse two rough approximately square incuse punches; rare and important; SOLD


Lydian Kingdom, Uncertain King Before Kroisos, c. 625 - 546 B.C.

|Lydian| |Kingdom|, |Lydian| |Kingdom,| |Uncertain| |King| |Before| |Kroisos,| |c.| |625| |-| |546| |B.C.||Trite| |(1/3| |Stater)|
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


Mytilene, Lesbos, c. 521 - 478 B.C.

|Lesbos|, |Mytilene,| |Lesbos,| |c.| |521| |-| |478| |B.C.||Hekte| |(1/6| |Stater)|
Mytilene on the southeast edge of Lesbos, opposite the mainland, was founded about 1054 B.C. It was initially confined to a small island just offshore that later was joined to Lesbos, creating a north and south harbor. In the 7th century B.C., Mytilene successfully contested for the leadership of Lesbos with Methymna, on the north side of the island. Mytilene became the center of the island's prosperous eastern hinterland.
SH86289. Electrum Hekte (1/6 Stater), Bodenstedt 9.1; BMC Lesbos p. 158, 25; Traité II 2135; Jameson 1472; HGC 6 933 (R1); SNG Cop -; SNGvA -; Boston MFA -; Weber - , Choice EF, well centered and struck on a tight flan, edge cracks, weight 2.573 g, maximum diameter 10.6 mm, die axis 0o, Mytilene mint, c. 521 - 478 B.C.; obverse forepart of winged roaring lion; reverse incuse head of cock left, roughly rectangular incuse punch behind; SOLD


Lydian Kingdom, Alyattes - Kroisos, c. 620 - 539 B.C.

|Lydian| |Kingdom|, |Lydian| |Kingdom,| |Alyattes| |-| |Kroisos,| |c.| |620| |-| |539| |B.C.||Trite| |(1/3| |Stater)|
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


Mytilene, Lesbos, c. 521 - 478 B.C.

|Lesbos|, |Mytilene,| |Lesbos,| |c.| |521| |-| |478| |B.C.||Hekte| |(1/6| |Stater)|
Mytilene on the southeast edge of Lesbos, opposite the mainland, was founded about 1054 B.C. It was initially confined to a small island just offshore that later was joined to Lesbos, creating a north and south harbor. In the 7th century B.C., Mytilene successfully contested for the leadership of Lesbos with Methymna, on the north side of the island. Mytilene became the center of the island's prosperous eastern hinterland.
SH86292. Electrum Hekte (1/6 Stater), Bodenstedt 13, SNGvA 1685, SNG Cop 301, Boston MFA 1679; BMC Lesbos p. 157, 20; HGC 6 938 (S), Choice EF, weight 2.547 g, maximum diameter 10.3 mm, die axis 0o, Mytilene mint, c. 521 - 478 B.C.; obverse roaring lion's head right; reverse incuse calf's head left; SOLD


Phokaia, Ionia, c. 477 - 388 B.C.

|Phokaia|, |Phokaia,| |Ionia,| |c.| |477| |-| |388| |B.C.||Hekte| |(1/6| |Stater)|
Phokaia was the most northerly of the Ionian communities in Asia Minor and was the mother city of many colonies in the western Mediterranean area, including Massalia (modern Marseille, France).
SH38617. Electrum Hekte (1/6 Stater), Bodenstedt 90, SNGvA 2126, VF, weight 2.558 g, maximum diameter 10.2 mm, Phokaia (Foca, Turkey) mint, c. 477 - 388 B.C.; obverse head of a nymph left, seal below; reverse quadripartite incuse square; SOLD


Phokaia, Ionia, c. 487 - 326 B.C.

|Phokaia|, |Phokaia,| |Ionia,| |c.| |487| |-| |326| |B.C.||Hekte| |(1/6| |Stater)|
Phokaia (Phocaea) was the most northerly of the Ionian communities in Asia Minor and was the mother city of many colonies in the western Mediterranean area, including Massalia (modern Marseille, France).
SH87221. Electrum Hekte (1/6 Stater), Bodenstedt 102 (b/ß); BMC Ionia p. 212, 63; Weber 6084; Boston MFA 1920; SNGvA -; SNG Cop -, Choice VF, well centered on a tight flan, attractive style, weight 2.528 g, maximum diameter 10.3 mm, Phokaia (Foca, Turkey) mint, c. 477 - 388 B.C.; obverse laureate head of nymph left, hair in sakkos, seal right below; reverse quadripartite mill-sail incuse square; SOLD


Phokaia, Ionia, c. 487 - 326 B.C.

|Phokaia|, |Phokaia,| |Ionia,| |c.| |487| |-| |326| |B.C.||Hekte| |(1/6| |Stater)|
Phokaia (Phocaea) was the most northerly of the Ionian communities in Asia Minor and was the mother city of many colonies in the western Mediterranean area, including Massalia (modern Marseille, France).
SH75215. Electrum Hekte (1/6 Stater), Bodenstedt 102 (b/ß); BMC p. 212, 63; Weber 6084; Boston MFA 1920; SNGvA -; SNG Cop -, VF, fine style, crowded flan, light contact marks, weight 2.540 g, maximum diameter 10.2 mm, Phokaia (Foca, Turkey) mint, c. 477 - 388 B.C.; obverse laureate head of nymph left, hair in sakkos, seal right below; reverse quadripartite incuse square; SOLD







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REFERENCES|

Babelon, E. Traité des Monnaies Grecques et Romaines. (Paris, 1901-1932).
Brett, A. Catalogue of Greek Coins, Boston Museum of Fine Arts. (Boston, 1955).
Bodenstedt, F. Die Elektronmünzen von Phokaia und Mytilene. (Tübingen, 1981).
Head, B. A Catalog of the Greek Coins in the British Museum, Ionia. (London, 1892).
Karwiese, S. Die Münzprägung von Ephesos. I. Die Anfänge: Die ältesten Prägungen und der Beginn der Münzprägung überhaupt. (Cologne/Weimar, 1995)
Karwiese, S. "The Artemisium coin hoard and the first coins of Ephesus," RBN 137 (1991), pp. 1 - 28.
Konuk, K. & C. Lorber. White Gold: Revealing the World's Earliest Coins. (Jerusalem, 2012).
Linzalone, J. Electrum And The Invention of Coinage. (New Jersey, 2011).
Meadows, A. & R. Kan. History Re-Stored: Ancient Greek Coins from the Zhuyuetang Collection. (Hong Kong, 2004).
Mitchiner, M. Ancient Trade and Early Coinage. (London, 2004).
Münzen und Medaillen Deutschland. Sammlung Elektron. Catalog of public auction 7, 20 October 2000. Stuttgart.
Robinson, W. "The Date of the Earliest Coins" in Numismatic Chronicle 16. (1956) 1-8.
Sear, D. Greek Coins and Their Values, Volume 2, Asia and Africa. (London, 1979).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Denmark, The Royal Collection of Coins and Medals, Danish National Museum, Vol. 5: Ionia, Caria and Lydia. (West Milford, NJ, 1982).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Deutschland, München Staatlische Münzsammlung, Part 20: Ionien 1: (Frühes Elektron-Priene). (Berlin, 1995).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Deutschland, Münzsammlung Universität Tübingen, Part 4: Mysien - Ionien. (Berlin, 1989).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Deutschland, Sammlung Hans Von Aulock, Vol. 1: Pontus, Paphlagonia, Bithynia, Mysia, Troas, Aiolis, Lesbos, Ionia. (Berlin, 1957).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Finland, The Erkki Keckman Collection in the Skopbank, Helsinki, Part II: Asia Minor except Karia. (Helsinki, 1999).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Turkey 1: The Muharrem Kayhan Collection. (Istanbul, 2002).
Vickers, M. "Early Greek Coinage: A Reassessment" in NC 145 (1985) 1-4.
Waggoner, N. Early Greek Coins from the Collection of Jonathan P. Rosen (ANS ACNAC 5). (New York, 1983).
Weidauer, L. Problemeder frühen Elektronprägung, Typos I. (Fribourg, 1975).

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