Heritage World Coin Auctions
NYINC Signature Sale 3061 7-8 Jan 2018
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Ancients
IONIA. Uncertain city. Ca. 650-600 BC. EL third stater or trite (13mm, 4.77 gm). NGC Choice XF 5/5 - 4/5, Lydo-Milesian standard. Blank convex surface / Two incuse squares side-by-side, slightly offset. Linzalone LN1005-1008. Cf. Weidaur 7 (hecte). Cf. SNG Kayhan 673 (hecte). SNG Von Aulock 7762. Exceptional, among the best-known examples of this earliest form of coinage.
While the sequence of issues for the earliest electrum coinage is still imperfectly understood, recent discoveries have begun to clarify the picture. It is now evident that the first 'coins' were pre-weighed electrum globules of no particular design, but conforming to the weight standard prevalent in Ionia and Lydia, a 'stater' of about 14 grams and its fractions. Next came pieces bearing simple punch patterns on the 'reverse,' but with a blank 'obverse,' as seen here. These were followed very quickly by pieces being a series of parallel striations, the first example of something that could be termed an obverse 'type.' Thus our "typeless trite" is among the very first coins struck by any culture.
HID02901242017
Estimate: 5000-6000 USD
IONIA. Uncertain city. Ca. 650-600 BC. EL third stater or trite (13mm, 4.77 gm). NGC Choice XF 5/5 - 4/5, Lydo-Milesian standard. Blank convex surface / Two incuse squares side-by-side, slightly offset. Linzalone LN1005-1008. Cf. Weidaur 7 (hecte). Cf. SNG Kayhan 673 (hecte). SNG Von Aulock 7762. Exceptional, among the best-known examples of this earliest form of coinage.
While the sequence of issues for the earliest electrum coinage is still imperfectly understood, recent discoveries have begun to clarify the picture. It is now evident that the first 'coins' were pre-weighed electrum globules of no particular design, but conforming to the weight standard prevalent in Ionia and Lydia, a 'stater' of about 14 grams and its fractions. Next came pieces bearing simple punch patterns on the 'reverse,' but with a blank 'obverse,' as seen here. These were followed very quickly by pieces being a series of parallel striations, the first example of something that could be termed an obverse 'type.' Thus our "typeless trite" is among the very first coins struck by any culture.
HID02901242017
Estimate: 5000-6000 USD