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Stater
| Issuer | Miletos |
|---|---|
| Year | 600 BC - 550 BC |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Forepart of a recumbent lion facing left, depicted in profile with head turned back over its shoulder toward the right. The mane is rendered in fine parallel incised lines, conveying a stylized archaic treatment characteristic of early Ionian coinage. The leonine figure occupies the full width of the flan, with forelegs extended forward and haunches visible beneath the body. A plain linear border or groundline is present beneath the figure. The execution reflects the sophisticated die-cutting tradition of the Milesian workshop during the late Archaic period. |
|---|---|
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Miletos was among the earliest Greek cities to adopt coinage, and these electrum staters — struck from the naturally occurring gold-silver alloy sourced from the Paktolos river region — predate any standardized monetary authority. The "var." designations across all three references are expected: early Milesian issues show considerable die-to-die inconsistency in both the incuse punch geometry and surface preparation, making exact matches genuinely rare.
The city's position as the dominant commercial port on the Ionian coast drove the practical need for this denomination before most of the Greek world had committed to coinage at all.