Didrachm

Historical Context: This silver didrachm was issued by Chalkis in Euboia around 500 BC, a period marking the height of the Archaic Greek era and the cusp of the Classical. Chalkis, an independent polis, was a dominant maritime and commercial power, renowned for its metalworking and extensive colonization efforts across the Mediterranean, particularly in Magna Graecia. This coinage served as a crucial medium for its flourishing trade networks, signifying the city's economic strength and geopolitical influence within the Aegean and beyond, prior to the significant upheavals of the Persian Wars.

Artistry: While no individual engraver is identifiable, the coin exemplifies the robust, stylized aesthetic of the Archaic Greek school. The obverse typically features a majestic eagle, often with spread wings, embodying strength and divine association, likely with Zeus. The reverse commonly displays a distinctive four-spoked wheel, a motif that could symbolize the city's extensive trade routes or a solar emblem, often contained within an incuse square. The designs are characterized by their powerful simplicity and geometric precision, typical of early Greek numismatic art.

Technical/Grading: Struck on an 8.22 gram, 18 millimeter silver flan, this didrachm exhibits characteristics typical of early Archaic minting. High-points for wear or strike quality would include the eagle's head, breast, and primary wing feathers on the obverse, and the central hub and spokes of the wheel on the reverse. Technical qualities often include an uneven strike, particularly on the reverse due to the incuse die, and occasional off-centering. The fabric is generally robust, though minor flan irregularities are common, reflecting the hand-struck nature of production.