EL 1/48 Stater ND (650-25BC) 6mm. 0.31g. Ionia/ uncertain City State obv: raised swastika rev: incuse four section punch
I have one that is similar Electrum Hekte Unknown mint, Possibly in Northern Ionia circa 600-550 BC obverse raised swastika or mill sail pattern. Rv four part square, Rosen 314 2.71 grms 10 mm Photo by W.Hansen The early electrum coinage has proved to be remarkably opaque and this type is perhaps one of the most. The image is remarkably basic and it is known by a number of subunits all of which would lead one to assume that this coin is very early. However the fact that the main type is a Hekte and not a trite suggests a later date. What really moves this coinage back is that the flans were flattened before striking a process that can be confidentially dated to the reign of Kroisos King of Lydia whose light weight gold as well as his silver coins have both untreated and flattened flans.
I also support a 600-550 BC dating for this type of coins. Such a type 1/48 stater (0,34 gram) was found at Artemision but with very difficult conditions for dating. It was found at strata level of mid IV BC, but together with pottery dating end of VII to mid VI BC - looks like a strata level mixed during final temple construction at IV BC. No doubt true VII BC (before 640/620) are four-rays lydian lion head coins. May be even from Gyges. I have one true VII BC
Electrum Coins and Their Archaeological Context: The Case of the Artemision of Ephesus https://www.academia.edu/41653289/E...Context_The_Case_of_the_Artemision_of_Ephesus Hello Ross! This coin No. 99 from the catalogue of this article. The full description with situation around this coin is a looooong read chapter 5.2.6. A short summary at page 170.
Yes, I found it thanks. My impression is that only a couple of the earliest Phocaean standard types turned up in the Artemision context, and this type seems (relatively) late. And what does the high gold content mean? Ross G.
I have a suggestion that a gold content of different series may vary at steps in Hacksilber (ingot, cut silver) / electrum ratio. But to proove this theory I need far much more statistic with alloy analises of different types early electrum coins. This is a problem for the moment...
I think it only looks like swastika, but in fact this is a: Obv. Quadripartite raised square of mill sail pattern. Rev. Square incuse. as it atributed in the article I have cited above.
