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Stater
| Issuer | Kings of Lydia |
|---|---|
| Year | 650 BC - 561 BC |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Forepart of a lion advancing to the right, rendered in bold relief on an irregularly shaped electrum flan, with a distinctive rounded protuberance or boss prominently displayed on the forehead — an attribute widely regarded as a royal or divine symbol in Lydian iconography. The mane is rendered with deeply incised striations radiating across the neck and shoulders, conveying a sense of power and movement characteristic of early Anatolian coinage. The eye is rendered as a large, stylized circular form, and the open jaws reveal a schematic tongue. No legend or inscription appears in the field, consistent with the earliest phase of coined money prior to the introduction of royal titulature. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Three deeply incuse punch marks dominate the reverse, produced by the hammered application of a divided punch tool directly into the plain electrum flan. The central punch is oblong or elongated in form, oriented vertically, while the two flanking punches are square in shape, one to the left and one to the right, each displaying an irregular striated or granular surface texture resulting from the hammering process. This characteristic tripartite incuse pattern is diagnostic of the earliest Lydian electrum staters and served as a primitive authentication device confirming the integrity of the metal. The surrounding field is plain and unworked, retaining the natural rounded contour of the flan. |
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| Mint | Sardis |
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