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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."

Kyzikos, Mysia, c. 550 - 450 B.C.

|Cyzicus|, |Kyzikos,| |Mysia,| |c.| |550| |-| |450| |B.C.||Hekte| |(1/6| |Stater)|
Seirios (Sirius) was the god or goddess of the Dog-Star, the brightest star of the constellation Canis Major. The pre-dawn rising of the star in the path of the sun was believed to be the source of the scorching heat and droughts of midsummer. Seirios appears in many guises was variously described as Maira daughter of the Titan Atlas, Maira the dog of the hero Icarius, Lailaps the hound of Orion, and Kyon Khryseos the golden-hound of Zeus. It may also have been associated with Orthros ("Morning Twilight") the hound of Geryon, giant of the west. The star was no doubt also connected with the dog-loving goddess Hekate who was the daughter of Perses "the Destroyer" and Asteria "the Starry One." -- www.theoi.com/Titan/AsterSeirios.html
SH86217. Electrum Hekte (1/6 Stater), Von Fritze I (Nomisma VII) 104 & pl. 3, 23; Boston MFA 1433; SNG BnF 245; SNG Cop -; SNGvA -; BMC Mysia -, VF, tight flan, edge cracks, weight 16.091 g, maximum diameter 19.9 mm, die axis 0o, Kyzikos mint, c. 550 - 450 B.C.; obverse winged dog (Sirius?) seated left, head turned back right, curved archaic wing, wearing collar, tunny fish below to left; reverse quadripartite incuse square; extremely rare; SOLD


Ionia, c. 600 - 550 B.C.

|Archaic| |Electrum|, |Ionia,| |c.| |600| |-| |550| |B.C.||1/24| |stater|
As reported by B.V. Head in Chapter 5 of Excavations at Ephesus: The Archaic Artemisia, a coin of this type was one of five coins found in excavations underneath the foundations of the southern wall of the B cella of the Artemisia at Ephesus. The other four coins were lion head and lion paw types. Head wrote these coins must have been deposited during construction of the First Temple (A). Weidauer 145 is the coin found at the Artemisia (= Head Artemisia 79), now at the Arkeoloji Müzesi, Istanbul. The Weidauer coins have more wear (die wear?) than our coin, but do appear to be from the same obverse die.
SH75300. Electrum 1/24 stater, Milesian standard; Weidauer 145 - 146; Head Artemisia p. 86 and pl. 2, 79; cf. SNGvA 1781 (different style); Rosen 287 (same); SNG Kayhan 717 (same), EF, perhaps the finest known of a very rare and important type, weight 0.597 g, maximum diameter 6.7 mm, uncertain Ionian mint, c. 600 - 550 B.C.; obverse bridled head and neck of Pegasos left, with top edge of wing visible; reverse raised cross pattern within incuse square punch; ex Tkalec AG auction Feb 2013, lot 88, realized 2,000 Swiss francs ($2,151) plus fees; ex Gorny & Mosch auction 199 (10 Oct 2011), realized 2,000 EUR ($2,699) plus fees; very rare; SOLD


Ionia, c. 600 - 550 B.C.

|Archaic| |Electrum|, |Ionia,| |c.| |600| |-| |550| |B.C.||Hekte| |(1/6| |Stater)|
Some numismatists have attributed this type to the Carian Island of Cos, due to the striking similarities to the archaic silver coinage of that island. Although this attribution is possible, most of the numismatic community accepts this type as Ionian in origin.
SH77551. Electrum Hekte (1/6 Stater), Unpublished in standard refs but about a dozen known from sales, cf. Rosen 346 - 347 (Anatolia, uncertain city, 1/96 Phocaic stater), VF, dark spots, weight 2.612 g, maximum diameter 10.0 mm, uncertain Ionian mint, Phocaic standard; obverse crab seen from above; reverse quadripartite incuse square; very rare; SOLD


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

|Archaic| |Electrum|, |Ionia,| |c.| |650| |-| |600| |B.C.,| |Striated| |Type||Hemihekte| |(1/12| |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.
SH84473. Electrum Hemihekte (1/12 Stater), Lydo-Milesian standard; Weidauer 9, Traité I 13, SNGvA 7766, SNG Kayhan 681; Rosen 268; Elektron II 13, Karwiese Artemision Type I.6, EF, some wear to reverse punch, weight 1.078 g, maximum diameter 6.6 mm, Ionia, uncertain mint, c. 650 - 600 B.C.; obverse flattened striated surface; reverse square incuse punch; rare and important; 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


Western Anatolia, c. 620 - 600 B.C., Plain Globular Type

|Archaic| |Electrum|, |Western| |Anatolia,| |c.| |620| |-| |600| |B.C.,| |Plain| |Globular| |Type||Hekte| |(1/6| |Stater)|
Certificate of Authenticity issued by David R. Sear.

Unpublished! The majority of the earliest electrum issues were struck on the lighter Milesian weight standard, with hectes weighing approximately 2.35 grams. This example, however is on the heavier Phocaic standard that was used at mints such as Cyzicus, Mysia and Phocaea, Ionia.
SH85577. Electrum Hekte (1/6 Stater), Phokaic standard 1/6 stater; unpublished, EF, flan cracks, weight 2.721 g, maximum diameter 8.96 mm, uncertain western Anatolia mint, c. 620 - 600 B.C.; obverse plain globular surface; reverse one small incuse square punch; extremely rare; SOLD


Kyzikos, Mysia, c. 500 - 450 B.C.

|Cyzicus|, |Kyzikos,| |Mysia,| |c.| |500| |-| |450| |B.C.||Hekte| |(1/6| |Stater)|
Cyzicus was one of the great cities of the ancient world. It was said to have been founded by Pelasgians from Thessaly, according to tradition at the coming of the Argonauts; later, allegedly in 756 B.C., it received many colonists from Miletus. Owing to its advantageous position it speedily acquired commercial importance, and the gold staters of Cyzicus were a staple currency in the ancient world till they were superseded by those of Philip of Macedon. The site of Cyzicus, located on the Erdek and Bandirma roads, is protected by Turkey's Ministry of Culture.
SH84459. Electrum Hekte (1/6 Stater), SNG BnF 241; SNGvA 1180; BMC Mysia p. 32, 98; Von Fritze I 102; Rosen 482; de Luynes pl. XCII 2460; SNG Cop -, gVF, well centered and struck on a tight flan, weight 2.628 g, maximum diameter 10.8 mm, Kyzikos (Kapu Dagh, Turkey) mint, c. 500 - 450 B.C.; obverse forepart of a winged deer left, tunny fish diagonal with head down behind; reverse quadripartite incuse square; rare; SOLD


Ionia, c. 650 - 600 B.C., Plain Globular Type

|Archaic| |Electrum|, |Ionia,| |c.| |650| |-| |600| |B.C.,| |Plain| |Globular| |Type||Hekte| |(1/6| |Stater)|
Mankind's first coin type! Rare and important. This is an example of the very earliest form of coinage; a type-less (blank) electrum globule, weighed to a specific standard, with simple square punches mark on one side (one punch on smaller denominations). Nine similar plain electrum pieces were within the famous "Artemision Find" at Ephesus in 1904, but all were smaller denominations, from 1/8 stater to a 1/96 stater.
SH84754. Electrum Hekte (1/6 Stater), SNG Kayhan 674, Weidauer 4, Boston MFA 1750, Rosen -, SNGvA -, SNG Cop -, Traité -, BMC Ionia -, VF, scratches and marks, reverse incuses struck with worn punches, weight 2.347 g, maximum diameter 9.3 mm, uncertain Ionian mint, c. 650 - 600 B.C.; obverse plain globular surface; reverse two roughly square incuse punches; very rare; 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)|
According to Herodotus, the Lydians were the first people to use gold and silver coins and the first to establish retail shops in permanent locations. It is not known, however, whether Herodotus meant that the Lydians were the first to use coins of pure gold and pure silver or the first precious metal coins in general. Despite this ambiguity, this statement of Herodotus is one of the pieces of evidence most often cited on behalf of the argument that Lydians invented coinage, at least in the West, even though the first coins were neither gold nor silver but an alloy of the two called electrum.
SH85433. Electrum Trite (1/3 Stater), Weidauer Series XVI 86, SNGvA 2869, SNG Kayhan 1013, Rosen 655, Boston MFA 1763, VF, banker's mark, some light scratches, weight 4.683 g, maximum diameter 12.5 mm, Sardes (Sart, Turkey) mint, c. 625 - 546 B.C; obverse Head of roaring lion right, with knob and rays atop snout; reverse two incuse squares; SOLD


Phokaia, Ionia, c. 521 - 478 B.C.

|Archaic| |Electrum|, |Phokaia,| |Ionia,| |c.| |521| |-| |478| |B.C.||Hekte| |(1/6| |Stater)|
Phocaea, or Phokaia, was the northernmost Ionian city, on the boundary with Aeolis. The Phocaeans were the first Greeks to make long sea-voyages, developed a thriving seafaring economy, became a great naval power, and founded the colonies Massalia (Marseille, France), Emporion (Empúries, Spain) and Elea (Velia, Italy). They remained independent until all of mainland Ionia fell to Croesus of Lydia (c. 560-545 B.C.). In 546 B.C., Lydia was conquered by Cyrus the Great of Persia. After the Greeks defeated Xerxes I, Phocaea joined the Delian League, but later rebelled with the rest of Ionia. In 387 B.C., Phocaea returned to Persian control. After Alexander, it fell under Seleucid, then Attalid, and finally Roman rule.
SH86213. Electrum Hekte (1/6 Stater), Bodenstedt em. 32, 7 (d/γ); Weber III 5736 (= Bodenstedt 7); Boston MFA 1906, SNG Kayhan -; SNG Cop -, SNGvA -, BMC Ionia -, Rosen -, EF, superb archaic style, well struck, tight flan, weight 2.529 g, maximum diameter 10.1 mm, die axis 0o, Phokaia (Foca, Turkey) mint, c. 521 - 478 B.C.; obverse archaic style head of Athena right, wearing Corinthian helmet, almond shaped eye, slight smile, long hair in rows of dots, dotted necklace, seal upward behind; 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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