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Stater
| Issuer | Chios |
|---|---|
| Year | 500 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Stater (20) |
| 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 |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Deeply struck quadripartite incuse square occupying the full reverse field, divided by raised ridges into four recessed compartments of roughly equal size, consistent with early Greek hammered coinage technique. The incuse is boldly impressed and irregular at the edges, reflecting the hand-struck nature of the piece. No legend or additional devices are present. The characteristic mill-sail or windmill pattern within the incuse is a hallmark of Chian electrum staters of the late Archaic period. |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Log in to see details |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | ND (-500) - Circa 500 BC |
| Additional information |
Chios was among the earliest Greek states to adopt a fiduciary electrum coinage, issuing these staters at a time when the natural gold-silver alloy sourced from Lydian river beds was giving way to artificially blended flans — a shift that required issuers to guarantee value by civic authority rather than metal content alone. The Chian series is notable for its consistency across decades, with Mavrogordato's die study identifying tight stylistic clusters that suggest a single, disciplined mint operation rather than episodic emergency issues.
The 14g weight standard aligns with the so-called Phocaic system, shared by a handful of Aegean states and distinct from the heavier Lydian norm.