Lot 2679

Description

Ionia, Miletos, (c.580-560 B.C.), electrum twelfth stater or hemi hekte, (1.21 g), obv. forepart of lion reverted to left with open jaws, rev. star ornament or stellate pattern in incuse square, lines to each corner dot, (cf.S.3532, cf.NFA Sale VI 27/2/1979 [lot 281] = M&M sale 72, 6th October 1987 [lot 39], cf.Klein [Nomismata 3] 415, Rosen 275, Lanz Sale 64 [1993] lot 238). Good very fine and very rare.

Ex Munzen & Medaillen Deutschland Auction 10 Sale, March 22, 2002 (lot 122, illustrated), previously from Gerhard Hirsch Sale 180, November 24, 1993 (lot 257).
The earliest coins were made in Western Turkey in about 600 B.C., out of electrum, an alloy created out of gold and silver. These electrum staters were made at three weight standards known today as the Phocaic, the Euboic and here (in this coin) the Milesian. The earlist coins have a design on one side and the reverse struck from three crude punches. As the coinage evolved these reverse punches evolved as is present on this coin, (one of the rarest and most interesting of ancient coins), into a new design and a pattern. The earliest this probably happened was near the middle of the first half of the sixth century B.C. The attribution to Miletos is fairly certain as the lion with reverted head remained the type of Miletus for another four centuries, it also shares this weight standard with Lydia.