Hekte

Phokaia was among the earliest Greek poleis to strike electrum coinage, and its hektai are considered foundational issues in the history of coined money. The city's position on the Ionian coast made it a commercial hub with Lydian and Near Eastern trading connections — relationships that almost certainly accelerated its adoption of electrum striking, using naturally occurring alloy from the Paktolos river region. Phokaian issues were specifically recognized in the coinage treaty with Mytilene, the two cities alternating mint rights on a shared electrum standard.

The Bodenstedt 2.2 classification places this among the earliest groupings in his landmark 1976 typology of Phokaian electrum.