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Hekte
| Issuer | Mytilene |
|---|---|
| Year | 454 BC - 427 BC |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Youthful laureate head, most likely Apollo or a youthful male deity, facing right in fine archaic-to-early classical Greek style. The hair is rendered in flowing, carefully detailed locks falling behind the neck, bound with a wreath of laurel leaves crossing diagonally over the crown of the head. The facial features are delicately modeled with a straight nose, full lips slightly parted, and a calm, idealized expression characteristic of Lesbian electrum coinage. The smooth field surrounding the bust is devoid of inscriptions or secondary devices. |
|---|---|
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| Mintage | ND (454 BC - 427 BC) |
| Additional information |
Mytilene and Phocaea operated a formal agreement — likely dating to the late fifth century — under which both cities struck electrum hektes on a shared weight standard, alternating issues across generations of dies. This particular piece falls within the earlier phase of Mytilene's independent output, before that convention was fully systematized. The electrum itself was sourced from Lydian river deposits, its gold-to-silver ratio varying enough between issues that ancient merchants almost certainly tested specific gravity rather than trusting appearance alone.