Just received this TINY silver coin. Seller attributes it to 5th or 6th century BC and Ionia or Teos. My Googling shows that this is likely correct but a better ID would be welcome! Just love how very small this coin is. Can't imaging NOT losing it. How has it survived 2500 years? If you saw it on the floor out of context, you'd think it was a small stone! Silver Fractional Obol (1/4 ?) Ionia or Teos 5-6th C. BC Obv: Griffin head Rev: square incuse punches Weight: .2 g. Size: 6.8 x 5.2 mm oblong; 1.4 mm thick Sorry for the photo quality...it was very hard to get focus on the coin face because it is so small. Any and all comments are welcome! Rob
The specific fraction is the "Tetartemorion." It was worth 1/4 of an obol. Struck circa 500-450 BC, at the city of Teos in Ionia.
Yummy-yummy, Teddy!! (cool new addition) ... congrats on a great pick-up!! Ummm, I happen to have a couple of super-cool examples from Ionia Teos, but they're not nearly as old as your sweet new addition!! (but do ya still kinda wanna see 'em?) Ionia, Teos, AR Drachm 375 B.C. Hagnon, magistrate Diameter: 16 mm Weight: 3.4 grams Obverse: Griffin seated right, raising forepaw Reverse: Quadripartite incuse square with granulated quarters and thick crossbars; ZHIΩN on horizontal crossbar, AΓ-NΩN on vertical crossbar Ionia, Teos, AR Hemidrachm 4th Century BC Diameter: 12.8 mm Weight: 1.3 grams Obverse: Griffin Reverse: Kanthros with Magistrate's name across, lyre right ... yup, those are two of my favourite coins ... Thanks for letting me show-off, Teddy (again, very cool new addition ... I'm jealous!!) ... it would look quite sweet with it's brothers
