Catalog
Hekte
| Issuer | Uncertain Ionian city |
|---|---|
| Year | 650 BC - 600 BC |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| 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 | Plain, convex electrum surface bearing a characteristically striated or flattened texture produced by the hammering process, with no intentional figurative design. The irregular striations and flow lines across the field are the result of the metal being spread under the anvil die, typical of the earliest Ionian electrum coinage. No legend, inscription, or identifiable device is present. |
|---|---|
| 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. |
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| 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.