KINGS OF LYDIA, temp. Ardys - Alyattes c. 630s-564/53 BCE (dates from a CNG listing of a similar coin) Electrum trite, 4.8 gm, 13.4 mm. Sardes mint. Obv: head of roaring lion right, sun with four rays on forehead Rev: two incuse square punches Ref: Weidauer Group XV, 64; BMC 2 (I do not have these books and cannot verify)
My earliest is also a siglos: Persian Empire Darius I to Xerxes II, r. 485-420 B.C. Sardes Mint, AR Siglos, 15.87mm x 5.6 grams Obv.: King running right holding spear and bow Rev.: Incuse punch; Ref.: SGCV 3428, Carradice Type IIIb, Group A/B (pl. XII, 17)
Those are nice antique ivory carvings. Here's a sleeping Buddha Japanese netsuke carved from mammoth ivory, based on the grain pattern under magnification, that I think dates to the early 20th century - nicely done by an accomplished artist. August 6th is the 75th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan.
This is presently my oldest coin. Greece (Ionia, Phokaia): electrum hekte, ca. 478-387 BC Grade: NGC VF; Strike 5/5, Surface 3/5.
@lordmarcovan Wow!! Such a remarkable state of preservation after 2400+ years. The detail of the coin is wonderful. I need to broaden my collecting boundries. Thanks for sharing!!
Some great coins!......Here's my oldest... Ionia, Phokaia, c. 350-300 BC. Æ (15mm, 4.36g, 11h). Phokleon, magistrate. Obverse..Head of Hermes facing left wearing a Petasos hat tied at the back. Reverse..Forepart of a griffin springing left. ΦΩKAEΩN (PHOKAEON), name of the magistrate below. SNG Copenhagen 1039ff (magistrate); BMC 101.
The dates thrown around regarding the "oldest" coin often have a margin of error of about a century. I've also heard claims that some of the oldest Chinese coin types (ant nose/ghost face, spades and knives) precede the Lydian electrum by centuries. Here are some of my oldest Lydia, Croesus AR 1/2 Croesid (Siglos) 560-546 BC Roughly contemporaneous are the most archaic Kyzikos silvers Some claim that the bent bar Shatamana of Gandhara in India are equally old, although this one is probably more along the lines of 450-400 BC
My coin is just "a youngster" compared to what the others have posted. A Roman Republic Quadrigatus 225 to 215 BC.
I can't go that far. My current oldest was a gift from Secret Santa last year : Bruttium, Terina, ca 420-400 BCE Third nomos Head of Terina right Nike seated left, holding bird 1,97 gr - 15,5 mm Q
Youngster, Yeah, but these are just AWESOME coins, struck at the nadir of the Roman Republic! RR Anon AR Heavy Denarius -Quadrigatus - Didrachm 225-215 BCE Incuse Roma Janus Jupiter Cr 28-3 S 31 RR Anon AR Heavy Denarius Quadrigatus Didrachm 215-213 Janus Roma Relief tablet S 32 Cr 28-3 RR 225-214 BCE Anon BILLON Heavy Denarius Quadrigatus-Janus Didrachm Janus-Jupiter gallopng quadriga r 18.2mm 4-1g Cr 28-3 S 33 RR Anon AR Heavy Quinarius Half-Quadrigatus Drachm 216-214 BCE Janus ROMA Jupiter Victory Quadriga LEFT Cr 29-4 S 35 RR Anon AR Heavy Quinarius Drachm Half-Quadrigatus 225-212 BCE 3.1g 18mm Janus Jupiter in Quadriga L Victory ROMA Cr 28-4 S 35 SCARCE
This is so much easier when you only have one Vespasian AE Dupondius, 71 AD, IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG COS III, radiate head right / CONCORDIA AVGVSTI, Concordia seated left, holding patera and cornucopia, SC in exergue, RIC 266, Sear 2345, Cohen 624
Since the question was about coins -- not older human-made artifacts, or fossils! -- I'll say that it's probably this one: Mysia, Kyzikos, AR Diobol, ca. 450-400 BCE. Obv. Forepart of boar left; to right, tunny upwards. Rev. Head of roaring lion left within incuse square. Seaby 3846 [Sear, David, Greek Coins and their Values, Vol. 2: Asia & Africa (Seaby 1979)]; Von Fritze II, Group II, No. 9 (p. 36) [Von Fritze, H., "Die Silberprägung von Kyzikos" in Nomisma IX (1914), at pp. 34 - 56]; BMC 15 Mysia 108-113 [Wroth, Warwick, A Catalog of the Greek Coins in the British Museum, Vol. 15, Mysia (London, 1892) at pp. 34-35]; SNG BnF 361-366 [Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, France, Cabinet des Médailles, Bibliothéque Nationale, Vol. 5, Mysia (Paris 2001)]. 10 mm., 1.22 g., 6 h.
