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Hemiobol
| Issuer | Phokaia |
|---|---|
| Year | 521 BC - 478 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1/2 Obol (1⁄12) |
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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 |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Log in to see details |
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| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Quadripartite incuse square divided by raised ridges into four recessed triangular compartments, formed by the punch of the reverse die. The incuse design is typical of early Archaic Greek coinage produced in the Ionian tradition, serving as the countermark of the moneyer's punch. The four quarters display varying depths of relief, with no inscription or additional device present. |
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| Edge | Log in to see details |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | ND (521 BC - 478 BC) |
| Additional information |
Phokaia was the dominant electrum-minting city on the Ionian coast for much of the archaic period, but silver fractions like this hemiobol represent a parallel small-denomination output that remains poorly understood in terms of its precise monetary function. The Phokaians were expelled by the Persians around 545 BC — most famously sailing en masse to found Alalia in Corsica — yet the city continued operating under Persian suzerainty, and coinage production did not halt.
The closing date of 478 BC aligns with the broader Ionian Greek recovery following Mycale, after which civic minting across the region resumed with greater autonomy.