Stater

Historical Context: This electrum stater from Ephesos, dated 625-575 BC, is a foundational piece in early coinage history. Ephesos, a powerful Ionian Greek city and major religious center for Artemis, led economic innovation. Issuing substantial electrum currency underscores the city's commercial prowess and early adoption of monetary exchange, marking a pivotal shift from bartering to a sophisticated, standardized economy.

Artistry: The engraver of this early Archaic stater remains anonymous, typical for the period. Its design invariably features the iconic bee, a sacred symbol linked to Ephesos and its patron deity, Artemis, whose priestesses were known as 'melissae'. The obverse displays this stylized bee. The reverse typically presents an unadorned, often irregularly shaped, incuse punch, characteristic of coinage's nascent stages, reflecting early die production before complex dual-sided designs.

Technical/Grading: Struck on an electrum flan (13.93 grams, 21.7 mm), this stater adheres to the Lydo-Milesian standard. For grading, key high-points on the obverse bee include its segmented body, delicate wings, and antennae. Early electrum issues often exhibit technical qualities like minor off-centering, uneven flan shapes, and variable strike pressure, sometimes causing obverse design elements to appear on the reverse punch. The natural electrum alloy, while durable, is susceptible to surface wear.