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Hekte
| Issuer | Uncertain Ionian city |
|---|---|
| Year | 650 BC - 600 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Electrum Stater |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Log in to see details |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Two adjoining incuse square punches of differing depths impressed into the reverse, creating a double-compartment recessed design characteristic of primitive archaic Ionian electrum issues. The punches are irregularly shaped and show the characteristic rough texture of the punch tool, with no figurative device or inscription. This double incuse punch served as the countermark of authenticity in place of a formal reverse type. |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Plain |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
Among the earliest coined money ever produced, the electrum hekte issues of western Anatolia predate any standardized monetary authority — these were struck by merchant communities, temple administrators, or local dynasts whose identities are now irrecoverable. The natural alloy of gold and silver varied considerably between strikes, meaning the intrinsic value of nominally identical pieces could differ by a meaningful margin, a problem ancient users apparently accepted or resolved through weight verification rather than trust in issuer guarantees.
SNG Kayhan 680 places this piece within the Lydian-influenced Ionian sphere without committing to a specific polis.