Ancient Gold - Greek

Lot 2833    SESSION 12 (11.30AM THURSDAY 25TH MARCH)    Ancient Gold - Greek

Estimate $3,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $1,900

IONIA, Miletus, (c.600-550 B.C.), electrum trite, (4.67 g), obv. lion lying to left, head reverted, within rectangular striated border, rev. incuse two small squares, within star ornament or stellate pattern within, (cf.S.3439, Babelon I, 20 (pl.1, 14), cf.BMC 4 [Ionia] p.184, Pl.III, 4-5, cf.Weidauer 129 [described as hekte], SNG Kayhan 442, Pozzi 2464). Very fine, of great rarity.

Ex Gorny & Mosch, (lot 1178), c.1990s with ticket and envelope.
A similar example was in the CNG Sale 320 (lot 143) that realised $3000 US.
The type is one of the earliest coins. It was struck in Western Turkey in electrum, a man made alloy of gold and silver. These electrum coins were made at three weight standards known today as the Phocaic, the Euboic and here in this coin the Milesian. The earliest staters had a similar design on one side and the reverse struck from three crude punches for stater and two crude punches for a trite. Early in the sixth century B.C. as the coinage evolved, these reverse punches evolved (as present on this coin, very early), into a design and pattern of one of the most interesting of ancient coins. The attribution to Miletus is fairly certain as the lion with reverted head remained the type of Miletus for another four centuries, it also shared this weight standard with Lydia.