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Hemihekte
| Issuer | Uncertain Ionian city |
|---|---|
| Year | 600 BC - 550 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 1.36 g |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | A scorpion rendered in bold archaic relief, depicted dorsally with its segmented tail curving upward and claws extended to either side, occupying the full flan. The carapace and appendages are rendered with considerable plastic detail for the period, displaying the characteristic schematic yet vigorous style of early Ionian electrum coinage. The flan is irregular and slightly convex, with no surrounding legend or border. |
|---|---|
| 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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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Among the earliest coined money produced anywhere in the world, electrum fractions from uncertain Ionian mints predate the standardization efforts of Croesus and represent the experimental phase of coinage itself — a period when weight standards, issuing authority, and even the concept of a guaranteed fineness were still being worked out. The natural electrum alloy used in these pieces varies considerably in gold-to-silver ratio, making metallurgical analysis the primary tool for attributing them to specific regions or workshops.