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Drachm
| Issuer | Chios |
|---|---|
| Year | 400 BC - 380 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Drachm |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | A sphinx seated to the left occupies a convex, circular raised field; to the upper left of the sphinx, a bunch of grapes is depicted above an amphora, forming the characteristic civic emblems of Chios. The design is rendered in archaic Greek style with careful attention to the mythological creature's folded wings and haunches. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
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| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | ND (400 BC - 380 BC) |
| Additional information |
Chios occupied an unusual position among Aegean trading states — its wine was among the most exported commodities of the ancient Mediterranean, and coinage from this period likely facilitated that trade directly. The island maintained considerable autonomy even under shifting Persian and Athenian pressures, and its mint continued operating with notable consistency through the early fourth century.
The Mavrogordato reference places this squarely within a well-documented sequence, cross-confirmed by both the von Aulock and Copenhagen corpora. That triple concordance is relatively uncommon for small silver of this period and speaks to the type's survival in sufficient numbers to be studied properly.