A unique tiny coin from Lampsakos?

I have popped this coin into a couple of threads, but never with an ID. The seller didn't know what it was, and neither did I, but a bit of sleuthing has nailed it, I think. Here it is:


It is tiny: 6mm and 0.18 g, which puts it into tetartemorion territory. (The seller listed the weight as 0.02g (!) so I thought it was going to be even smaller... and super fragile. 0.18g seems robust by comparison.)


I figured it must be from Lampsakos, due to its similarity to coins like this drachm. However, it lacks a janiform head on the obverse. I finally managed to find a few small fractions that are very similar, dating to the 5th century BC. The sellers list them as uncatalogued, but 5 of the 7 are attributed to Lampsakos (the other two to "uncertain in Asia Minor"). The one major difference between these and my coin is that they always feature Athena's head to the left on the reverse, which was standard for the 5th c. BC:

So what gives with the head right? Just a rare variety? There may be more to it than that. Lampsakos did produce some (larger) Athena head right coins, but as far as I can gather, not until the beginning of the 4th century BC. As it happens, this is just around the time that Greek city states started to ditch their tiny silver fractions in favour of bronze coins (with the exception of a stubborn Athens). So we find Athena head right on Lampsakos diobols dating as early as 400 to 390 BC, but nothing smaller, as far as I can tell. Meanwhile, small bronze coins appear at the same time, also with Athena head right and a janiform head.

What this means, I think, is that my coin likely dates to the period at the very end of the production of tiny silver fractions, just before the transition to bronze... but after Lampsakos began using Athena head right in their designs. This would put it right around 400 BC, maybe +/- 10 years or so, and would help explain its rarity. These silver fractions from Lampsakos are very rare in the first place, but as far as I can tell my coin is unique. (If that's right, it's doubly unique since it's my only unique type! ) So the coin is of some numismatic interest, both for its uniqueness, and as one of the last silver fractions.

I also find it of historical interest due to the momentous events surrounding its issue. Lampsakos, a wealthy and strategically important city in the northern Troad, was part of the Delian league aka the Athenian empire. Following Athens' catastrophic defeat in Syracuse (413 BC), a number of Delian league members went into revolt, including Lampsakos in 411 BC. This revolt was put down by force, but Athens went on to lose the Peloponnesian War in 404 BC. The league was dissolved under Spartan direction, in alliance with Persia, and Lampsakos immediately came under Persian domination (until its "liberation" many decades later by Alexander the Great).

That's a lot to pack into 0.18 g of silver! I had a lot of fun with it, as you can probably tell. I would welcome any critiques of my reasoning, or examples of the type in references I don't have. (Even if that bursts my "wow, I've got a unique coin!" bubble.) And please post your coins of Lampsakos! Preferably with approximate dates, but whatever!

 

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I'm no expert on Greek coins especially tiny ones like yours Severus Alexander, but what a neat little coin for 400 BC, I'm sure the celator/die engraver's must have had magnifying glasses back the to get so much detail on such small coins...

 

I like it but all I can tell you is that's it's sitting on top of a 1999 Canadian Cent but then, I think you already know that.

 

How fun! Consider submitting it for inclusion on asiaminorcoins

 

Sweet little coin, Severus Alexander.

I have a Lampsakos Tet of Lysimachos , a former general and successor of Alexander the Great , not much help since it was minted a 100 years later.

 

A neat find!

 

That's a neat little coin. I have several around the same size and am always amazed at the artwork on such a small canvas. However, my only coin from Lampsakos is 5x larger than your new coin @Severus Alexander.

LAMPSAKOS, MYSIA THRACE
AE-10
OBVERSE: Female head right, hair rolled
REVERSE: Forepart of winged horse right, ΨΑ above, symbol below
Struck at Lampsakos, Mysia 399-200 BC
1.24g, 10mm
BMC Mysia p. 84, 53 ff. var (symbol)
ex Denant

 

Very nice!! I suspect you are right about your tiny silver coin since I don't recall coming across another like yours even after 'researching' the general type yesterday (of scarce examples of tetartemorions).

I lost out to a higher bidder for this example on Ebay last night:

 

Cool mystery on your Tetartemorion @Severus Alexander ! Great looking little coin...the helmeted head is well centered.

I have a mystery one similar to yours... I am still trying to figure it out. @Nicholas Molinari helped me out a bit by stating it was not Acheloos or the Man-Faced Bull on the reverse...


Uncertain West Asia Minor Karia 5th C BC AR tetartermorion 5mm 0.15g Female - Forepart Bull r; Kayhan 968 except right facing

 

Very interesting!

 

Thanks, everyone! Gone are the days when I'd be excited about a new coin but have nobody to show it to except people who would respond with a deadpan "Oh wow" and return to their book.

@Ancient Aussie: Being very nearsighted myself, I know that no magnifier is necessary. Apparently, though, a lens was discovered in Pompeii in the "House of the Engraver"... so you're probably right!

@TIF: Thanks!! I was wondering how I would go about submitting it somewhere. I will most certainly take your suggestion!

@Bing: Very interesting coin, and one of the bronzes that replaced my tiny fraction. I was hoping somebody had one of those!

@Mikey Zee: Good luck on your quest!

@Alegandron: Oooh, cool... I will try to spend some time tonight having fun with your example. It must be rare too. (And if you haven't found it, I doubt I will...)

@Andres2: My only other coin from Lampsakos is a tet similar to yours. Only not as nice, and without the cool herm!

 

Very interesting coin and that is a good job on the research and analysis. Your conclusion sounds very plausible.

John

 

I have a "diobol" of Mysia Lampsakos with the R facing Athena and the janiform head

 

Did you try posting it on Forvm?

 

Good idea! Thank you.

 

Thanks to Severus Alexander to start this thread and Thanks also to Bing, Mikey jee, Alegandron, Yozz1 and others to add more information to my knowledge.

 

Finally acted on @TIF's advice and sent this in to Asia Minor Coins, and it was promptly listed. My first coin "publication".

http://www.asiaminorcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=14414

 

Well done Severus Alexander it all helps collectors.

 

Congratulations on solving the mystery. Research like yours separates a numismatist from a collector. Great little coin.

 

Thanks again Severus Alexander .