This was listed as: Ionia, Kolophon. c. 450 - 410 BC. Silver 1/12 Stater. 8.70mm, 0.97g. Head of Apollo lt. / Incuse square. aVF. Rare denomination. But it looks like a 6th century style from what I find close on Acsearch or CNG. Only found this one on Vcoins: IONIA, KOLOPHON, c. 530-500 BC. AR, Twelfth stater. (8mm, 0,87g). Obv. Archaic head of Apollo left. Rev. Quadripartite incuse square. Ref. Kim & Kroll, AJN 2008, p. 73, 1 (pl. 14, 1). Rare denomination, Very Fine. Ex Künker 216 (2012), 407. Any ideas? Anyone collect these little coins?
What I am calling a Kolophon from 530-500 BC is 6mm and 0.31g making me uncertain of the denomination. Possibly 1/24? Again, just what I am calling it, this Phocaea 0.1g is a different style I have seen called the 'Smyrna type'. Massive is the word for the same hair in sakkos at 10mm and 1.3g item I have seen called a hemihekte and a diobol. I am not comfortable with any of the ID's presented without explanation and prefer to refer to the coins by weights rather than making up guesses that will be changed later.
It is indeed Archaic, I have done a write up about these early coins from Kolophon: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/early-coinage-of-kolophon.373897/ You have got yourself an obol, dated 530/25-500 BC. The tetartemorion variant: Ionia, Kolophon. AR Tetartemorion. Circa 530/25-500 B.C. Persic standard. Obverse: Archaic head of Apollo left. Reverse: Incuse square punch. Reference: Kim & Kroll pp. 84–103; SNG Kayhan 354. 0.21g; 4.5mm
Thank you so much @Pavlos for the comprehensive great write-up. Yes I needed a nice coin to find on ebay after being a sucker for a tourist fake of a Bar Kochba issue. I have a few times now found a coin on that treacherous terrain that exceeded what the seller thought they were selling but it can be risky. These are interesting little coins. And thanks @dougsmit for posting your coins.
