I don’t have any myself But I really like the way electrum coins look with the luster of silver and the glow of gold. The Greeks made some beautiful electrum coinage but sadly (for obvious reasons) they quickly reverted to nearly pure silver & gold after realizing electrum is too difficult to value since it was impossible for them to determine how much of a coin was gold and how much was silver. A 3 gram coin of 80% gold 20% silver would be worth 5x more than the same 3 gram coin of 80% silver and 20% gold even though both are electrum.
Electrum can also be made artificially, atleast that was done in the late Byzantine empire as separated denomination, the gold and silver content were controlled. Ofcourse debasement happened, so did debasement of a gold coin that kind of turned into an electrum coin as well. Debased that it almost looks silver rather than electrum: Manuel I Comnenus (1143-1180). Electrum Aspron Trachy. Constantinople mint, Type C, ca. 1160-1164. Obverse: ΙC - ΧC Christ Pantocrator, standing facing, nimbate and enrobed, raising right hand in benediction and holding book of Gospels with his left; in field to left and right, star. Reverse: MA-NVHΛ - O/ ΘЄ/O/Δ/ω/PO/C Manuel and St. Theodore standing facing, both holding a sword in their outer hand, and holding a long patriarchal cross set on a globe between them. Reference: DOC 4c; Sear 1959. 4.63g; 33mm And a debased gold hyperpyron that kind of turned into Electrum now: Andronicus II Palaeologus, 1282-1328. AV Hyperpyron Nomisma. Constantinople mint, 1282-1294. Obverse: Bust of the Virgin orans within the city walls furnished with six groups of towers; in lower field, CZ-ZC sigla. Reverse: ANΔPO/NIKOC E/ XΩ T C/IΛIΠ/TICO IC/XC Andronicus on left, nimbate and kneeling right blessed by Christ standing facing on right, with decorated nimbus, holding Book of Gospels; between them fleur-de-lis; to right, C/N. Reference: DOC 225 var (sigla). PCPC 91B Sigla 77 var. SB 2326. 25mm, 4.28g Anyhow, I suppose you mean the Archaic Greek electrum pieces. Islands off Caria, Kos. EL Forty-eighth Stater, Phokaic standard. Circa 625-600 B.C. Obverse: Crab. Reverse: Incuse square. Reference: Stefanaki Series I, unlisted denomination; HN Online –; cf. HGC 6, 1295 (1/96th stater). 0.34g The EL staters of Kos were struck using the Phokaic standard of circa 16 grams, which was also used in Ionia and Mysia. The intrinsic value of the early electrum, even down to the 1/96th stater, was too high for use in everyday commerce, and early coinage must have been used only for the transfer of large sums of money, such as mercantile transactions, payment of government expenses (mercenaries, tribute and such), and donatives, either for services rendered to individuals or the state, or to religious foundations.
My only Electrum coins are bosporan staters : Bosporan kingdom - Rhescuporis II & Caracalla, Electrum stater, dated 513 (216-217 CE) BACIΛΕωC ΡHCKOΥΠOΡIΔOC (anticlockwise). Draped and diademed bust of Rhescuporis II right, before, trident. Laureate and draped bust of Caracalla right. ΓΙΦ at exergue (year 513) 7,63 gr – 18 mm Ref : MacDonald # 556/3 Q
I have two Greek electrum coins Lesbos, Mytilene EL Hecte Right on the cusp of the transition from Archaic to Classical style, 478-455 BC And this one from Phokaia, one of the later examples at about 377-336 BC Other civilizations that produced electrum: After their zenith in which they made staters to the same standard as the Roman Aureus, the Kushans debased their staters; this one of Kipunadha looks to be cut with silver, although I am unaware of any studies into the metallurgy of these. After the transition from Kushans to Kushano-Sassanian to Kidarite, the purity was cut again, although my understanding is that they were cut with both silver and copper, which I think would technically make it rose gold! Durlabha Deva Much further to the east, Japan was IIRC the last to use electrum, cutting their gold coinage with silver as they struggled to adjust to its growing economy but limited metal supply under the closed economy of Sakoku, which was further exacerbated when the borders were opened and foreign merchants discovered that the Japanese valued silver about 3x as highly as the rest of the world, relative to gold. Tenpo 2 shu (1/8 ryo) (1830s, about 30% AV, 70% AR) Meiji 2 bu (1/2 ryo) (1868-1870, 22.3% AV, 77.7% AR)
My only speck of ancient electrum. This is a really early one from Ionia, where it all began. I chose this 'naked', example because it is unstamped. To me that suggests it goes to the very root of coinage. According to some definitions of money it perhaps doesn't even qualify as proper money, because, since it is unstamped, it lacks an issuing authority. So be it. I like it nonetheless!
Early electrum staters have a nice chunky feel to them, weighing 15-16 grams: Here's one from Kyzicus: And one from Lampsacus, which was found in Smyrna in 1874:
Alyattes Electrum Trite 600-546 Sardies BC Obv Head of roaring lion right with sun disk on forehead. Rv. Two incuses squares. anepigraphic. 4.72 grams 13 mm Photo by W. Hansen This electrum coinage emanating from the Kingdom of Lydia in Asia Minor is among the earliest coins minted. What is interesting is that at some point during the reign of Kroisos, the flans for these coins were flattened prior to being struck giving them a distinct appearance. I have seen some of these Alyattes trites with flattened reverses suggesting that their production continues even after the gold and silver coinages were introduced by Kroisos.
My two cents worth......well actually a stater and tribe's worth. First a stater from Cyzicus with Athena on the obverse and secondly a trite from somewhere in Ionia from sometime around 580 BC with the forepart of a ram. And Joe is right, those staters do have a nice chunky feel. Very solid coins to hold.
Electrum later in history is mostly adulterated gold, yet it retains a certain charm and beauty. Pale gold or electrum ducat. Crusader States, probably Chios under Milan (Mediolanum) Giovanni Delfino 1356-1361 AD. Imitative of Venetian ducat but with St. Peter in place of St. Mark and the Duke of Milan in place of the Venetian Doge. Ex: Held Collection.
Very nice one! I’ve always wanted one of those Midas/Croesus coins! This “heavy series” gold croesid is my dream coin but I’ll never be able to afford it.
