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Greek Coins :
Archive : Anatolian Electrum Stater
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Anatolian Electrum Stater - C.580
Origin: City of Lydia
Circa: 650
BC
to 561
BC
Collection: Numismatics
Medium: Electrum
Additional Information: Sold
$3,300.00
Location: United States
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| Description |
Obverse: The Head of a Lion Facing Right
Reverse: Oblong Punch Divided into Two Squares
Lydia, a territory in the western part of Asia
Minor, contained much natural wealth including
large deposits of gold and electrum. It was a
powerful land ruled by kings, the last of whom
was Croesus, who mounted the throne in 560
B.C. and quickly subjugated all the Greek
colonies of Asia Minor under his rule. Lydia was
also an important commercial center for trade.
The famous historian Herodotus claimed that the
Lydians were the first people to strike coins of
gold and silver. This electrum stater bears the
head of a lion, traditionally a symbol of royalty in
the ancient world.
How many hands have touched a coin in your
pocket or purse? What eras and lands have the
coin traversed on its journey into our
possession? As we reach into our pockets to pull
out some change, we rarely hesitate to think of
who might have touched the coin before us, or
where the coin will venture to after it leaves our
hands. More than money, coins are a symbol of
the state that struck them, of a specific time and
location, whether contemporary currencies or
artifacts of a long forgotten empire. This
stunning hand-struck coin reveals an expertise
of craftsmanship and intricate sculptural detail
that is often lacking in contemporary machine-
made currencies. This ancient coin is a memorial
to the city of Lydia passed from the hands of
civilization to civilization, from generation to
generation that still appears as vibrant today as
the day it was struck.
- (C.580)
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