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Oktadrachm
| Issuer | Abdera |
|---|---|
| Year | 490 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Octadrachm (8) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Griffin seated left in profile, right forepaw raised in a characteristic alert pose; a cluster of grapes appears to the left, partially off the flan. The design is rendered in archaic Greek style with bold, confident die-cutting typical of early Thracian mint production. |
|---|---|
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| Mintage | ND (-490) |
| Additional information |
Abdera was refounded around 545 BC by Tean refugees fleeing the Persian advance under Harpagus — making it one of the few Greek colonial cities whose precise origin event is historically documented. The oktadrachm belongs to the earliest phase of the city's coinage, struck when Abdera was among the wealthiest poleis in Thrace, drawing revenue from timber, silver, and control of regional trade routes. May's classification of #42–43 places this piece within a tightly defined early group distinguished by subtle die axis and fabric differences that have occupied specialists for decades.