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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Ryro, post: 4367079, member: 91461&quot;]Still waiting on that perfectly imperfect Alexander gold starter that is within grasp of my cheap grinch like fingers to materialize.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1103431[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>But for now still no gold... buuut I did just pick up my first real piece of electrum. By real, I don’t mean I have an imaginary one that I show off to everyone like some sort of lunatic... not that I trust you guys enough to talk about anyway.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1103439[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>I have had this wonderful tiny, little electrum fouree for a few years (one of the smallest in CT at just 3mm):</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1103399[/ATTACH]</p><p>Ionia. Ephesos</p><p>circa 600-550 BC. </p><p>1/48 Stater EL fourrée </p><p>3mm., 0,15g.</p><p>Lion&#039;s paw / Incuse punch.</p><p>nearly very fine</p><p>Karwiese series I / Type 1 (for prototype).</p><p><br /></p><p>And I’ve been on the lookout for at least a year or so now for a buddy for him. A REAL friend for him to play with. And I finally scored one!</p><p>But first, a little history:</p><p>Electrum, for those that don’t know, is a naturally occurring alloy of everyone’s favorite metals, gold and silver (and for the one Avatar fan out there about to say,(in my best Jerry Lewis voice) “Unabtanium is my favorite alloy.” To you, sir, I say, get a girlfriend.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1103459[/ATTACH] </p><p>[ATTACH=full]1103412[/ATTACH] </p><p>(Whoa! That’s a Frank Franzetta!)</p><p><br /></p><p>Almost as amazing as when chocolate and peanut butter first naturally were mined from the rich hills of Reeses and manufactured into pieces;</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1103457[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Electrum was used in Greece, the Middle East and even all the way back to old kingdom Egypt. Priests would pour electrum onto the mummified remains of high ranking officials!</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1103452[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>The first coins were almost assuredly EL. At first just little gobs of metal that we eventually would stamp images onto. This probably was first done by Croesus in Lydia. Though there are small debates to be made here for the eastern Greeks and the coins found under the Temple of Artemis of Ephesus. But it’s a moot point as no one living today, our own [USER=19463]@dougsmit[/USER]&nbsp; aside<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie2" alt=";)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />, was around to verify for us today.</p><p>Eventually, as people began to take out more of the gold content and the people realized this and stopped utilizing the alloy, electrum ceased to be used much like rubbers (or the term rubbers for that matter<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie39" alt=":cyclops:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />). But enough about the <i>Trojan</i> war. You were kind enough to read this thread and check out my new itty bitty really old coin. </p><p>Without further ado:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1103414[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>IONIA, Uncertain </p><p>Circa 550-500 BC. EL.</p><p>Condition: Very Fine</p><p>Weight:0.38gr</p><p>Diameter: 6 mm</p><p>Ex: Zeus Numismatics</p><p><br /></p><p>You may notice the difference in color between the new guy and the fouree. That would be the difference in gold content. Really excited with just how much gold content the new guy has.<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie85" alt=":smuggrin:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> </p><p>[ATTACH=full]1103462[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>Please share your thoughts, laughs anything that bares being in this thread and most importantly that sweet sweet electrum<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie33" alt=":cigar:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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