My oldest coin is this Croesus 1/6 stater, struck somewhen between 565 and 539 BC: Kings of Lydia, under Croesus, AR ⅙ stater, 565/53–550/39 BC. Obv: confronted foreparts of lion and bull. Rev: two incuse square punches of unequal size. 8–11mm, 1.76g. Ref: Berk 25; SNG Kayhan 1019; Sunrise 13.
Nice one Bing! This one is my oldest. 1/3 silver croesid of King Croesus of Lydia. Basically it’s the same coin as above except double the denomination & weight. LYDIAN KINGDOM. Croesus (561-546 BC). AR third-stater (13mm, 3.51 gm). NGC Choice XF 5/5 - 3/5.Confronted foreparts of lion left facing right, and bull right facing left / Two irregular incuse squares. BMFA 2071, SNG Keckman 359.
Nice coins everyone. Thanks Bing I have a couple that were very close in date to being my oldest, but this one from Kyzicos, Mysia, is the oldest, around 480-450 BC. AR with the Boar/Tuna and Lion. Looking forward to the second oldest thread.
Since I'am more of a roman imperial collector my oldest would be this one: Emperor Augustus - As - Lugdunum mint - 9-14 A.D. Obv.: CAESAR PONT MAX Rev.: ROM ET AVG
I mostly collect Roman Republic and Roman Imperial denarii. However, I do own some Greek coins from the Archaic and Classical periods: Thracian Islands, Thasos, c. 550-463 BC. Stater. 22-20 mm. 8.21 grams. Naked satyr with erection carrying struggling nymph who raises her right hand in protest quadripartite incuse square Sear Greek 1746. SNG Copenhagen 1008 "C. 550-463 BC" Ex. Augustus Coins (Warren Etsy) Olbia. Circa 5th century BC. AR drachm, 16mm, 3.96g. Obv.: Gorgoneion. Rev.: Cruciform incuse square. Ref.: SNG Copenhagen 256. Ex. Depew Collection Ex. Jaz Numismatics Greece, Thessaly, Larissa, 400-360 BC, AR Drachm, Youth wrestling bull left/Rev. horse prancing right, 5.77g BMC 39 Ex. Time Machine on Vcoins 420-360 BC Pamphylia, Aspendos AR drachm Obverse: Horseman (Mopsos, founder of Aspendos) galloping left hurling spear,. Reverse: Boar prancing left. Weight: 5.36 grams. Diameter: 18.34 mm. References: SNG Frankreich 25. Ex. Lodge Antiquities THRACE, Apollonia Pontika. Mid-late 4th century BC. AR Drachm (3.06 gm; 15 mm). Facing gorgoneion / Anchor; A and crayfish under each fluke. SNG BM Black Sea 167; SNG Copenhagen 459. LUCANIA Thourioi (Thurium). Circa 350-300 BC AR Nomos Head of Athena right, wearing Attic helmet with Skylla thowing stone / Bull butting right; ΣΩ above; in exergue, fish right 7.80 g, 20-21 mm, silver. Toned, struck with worn dies, small graffito on reverse References: HN Italy 1820; SNG ANS 1076; HGC I, 1262 Ex. Musa Numismatic Art Ex. Time Machine PHILIP III ARRHIDAIOS OF MACEDON AR DRACHM, 323 - 300 B.C.E. Price P44, Muller P51, Very Fine+, 18.4mm, 4.30 grams, Struck Circa. 323 - 319 B.C.E., Colophon Mint Obverse: Head of (Alexander as) Herakles wearing lion skin to right Reverse: Zeus Aëtophoros seated to left, ΦIΛIΠΠOY to right, lyre to left, A below throne Ex. Zuzim
I overlooked my Persian Siglos when listing my oldest “Greek” coins on my previous post: KINGS OF PERSIA AR silver siglos. Achaemenid Empire, time of Artaxerxes I to Darius III, circa - 450-330 BC. Profile of Persian King moving right, in half-kneel, holding spear & bow. Reverse - Incuse punch. 15mm, 5.6g. Ex. Incitatus Coins (Steve McBride)
My oldest is just a plain globular elektrum hemihekte (1/12th stater), bought at Forum Ancient Coins in 2019. Uncertain Ionian mint ca. 650 - 600 BC, period of the Artemis Find (Ephesus region? May have been, as Karwiese has suggested, a Lydian controlled mint in the vicinity of Ephesus, rather than a mint of Ephesus itself). 7.7 mm, 1.168 g (on average 60% gold and 40% silver) SNG Kayhan 676; SNG Von Aulock 7763; Rosen 324; Boston MFA 1750; Traité II -; Weidauer – Ob.: smooth plain globular surface Rv.: incuse roughly square pyramidal punch; Picture courtesy Forum Ancient Coins