Lot 3240

Description

Lydia, uncertain king, issued before 561 B.C. and probably c.575 B.C., electrum trite or third stater, (4.686 grams) of Lydian-Milesian (Phoenician standard), probably issued at Sardis, obv. head of roaring lion to right, knob with three rays on forehead, rev. double incuse punch, (S.3398, BMC 7 [p.2], Weidauer 66). Clear wart, nearly extremely fine and rare.

Ex Frank Sternberg, Zurich Auction Sale X, November 25-26, 1980 (lot 145). The find of early electrum as a foundation deposit in the earliest temple at Ephesus included numerous third staters of this type. It also contained some inscribed electrum coins with the non-Greek name `Welwet'. Scholars began identifying this name with Alyattes, king of Lydia. Since then this attribution has been thrown into doubt by the more recent discovery of a parallel name, `Kagi', which does not correspond to any known Lydian king. No one really doubts, however that this prolific coinage was issued by the Lydian royal house. The lion's head was the dynastic badge, and this manner of representation, with the herringbone mane and `wart' on nose, was introduced into Greek art from Assyria in the second half of the seventh century B.C. It is one of, if not the earliest example of ancient coinage that utilises a design of some type on the obverse. This example is better than most for it is well centred, and free of banker's marks common on this series.