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Tetartemorion
| Issuer | Kolophon |
|---|---|
| Year | 525 BC - 500 BC |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 0.22 g |
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| Obverse description | Archaic head of Apollo facing left, rendered in the early Ionian style characteristic of late 6th-century BCE coinage. The facial features are boldly modeled in high relief with a schematic treatment typical of the archaic period, including a prominent rounded cheek and stylized hair rendered as a row of pellets or beads along the crown. The tiny flan size constrains the design, yet the bust retains clear artistic intent consistent with Kolophonian mint production of this era. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Kolophon, one of the twelve Ionian cities, was among the earliest Greek mints to strike fractional silver at this scale — a practical response to daily commerce in a monetizing economy where larger denominations were simply too valuable for ordinary transactions. At roughly a quarter of an obol, the tetartemorion represents the smallest unit in regular Archaic Greek circulation.
The SNG von Aulock 1810 reference places this firmly within a well-documented but physically punishing series to attribute. Dies cut for coins under half a gram at this period show considerable variation, and many examples survive in poor condition simply due to their size.