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Obol
| Issuer | Uncertain Ionian city |
|---|---|
| Year | 500 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Obol (⅙) |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| 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 |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Facing head of a gorgon or archaic female figure rendered in bold relief, depicted frontally with large staring eye, stylized hair or headdress swept to the sides, and prominent facial features characteristic of the Archaic Greek artistic style. The flan is irregular and slightly convex, with the design struck in high relief occupying nearly the entire field. No legend or inscription is present. The execution reflects the robust, somewhat crude engraving typical of small Ionian silver fractions of the late Archaic period, circa 500 BC. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
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| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | ND (-500) |
| Additional information |
Ionia's fractional silver coinage presents persistent attribution headaches — dozens of small cities along the Aegean coast were striking nearly identical tiny pieces around this date, and without a clear ethnic or distinctive type, firm attribution remains impossible. The obol denomination itself served daily market exchange, the kind of coin lost in a market stall or dropped between paving stones, which partly explains why survivors in any condition are genuinely uncommon.