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<p>[QUOTE="AncientJoe, post: 2261261, member: 44357"]The lion head coinage is among the earliest which can be definitively attributed to the Lydian kingdom. Most of these coins are anepigraphic – without a legend – but a small number contain the inscription “WALWET” in ancient Lydian.</p><p><br /></p><p>This name is thought to refer to the Memnad king known by Greek sources as Alyattes, who ruled circa 620-564 BC. Through hoard evidence, it is clear that both the inscribed and uninscribed coins were minted at the same time.</p><p><br /></p><p>Interestingly, all of the inscribed trites and hektes are struck from obverse dies which have far more detail than could fit on the coins. They contain two facing lion heads surrounding the Lydian inscription and are generally struck off-center so that only one of the lion heads is visible with the inscription.</p><p><br /></p><p>While no larger denominations have been found, it is possible that the dies were originally intended for a larger “stater”, or that there was some significance to striking with one particular side of the die.</p><p><br /></p><p>I've recently added two coins of this type to my collection - the first a hemihekte, which is exceptional for the presence of both lions and every letter of the inscription:</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://i1028.photobucket.com/albums/y342/AncientJoe/WALWETHemihekte_zps7ueqwqab.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p><i>Kings of Lydia. temp. Alyattes EL Hemihekte - 1/12 Stater. Sardes, circa 610-560 BC. Lion’s head left with open jaws, solar-disk above forehead, confronting open jaws of lion’s head right; WALWET (in Lydian retrograde script) between / Incuse square punch. Weidauer 111 var; cf. Weidauer 99; lot 225 above (same dies). 1.17g, 7mm. Extremely Rare. Clear and with an exceptionally legible inscription, with parts of both lions. The most complete example known. From an English collection, previously in that of Otto Liman von Sanders. Ex Roma 3, lot 280</i></p><p><br /></p><p>The second is a hekte, featuring a particularly clear inscription and well-centered head of the left side of the die.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://i1028.photobucket.com/albums/y342/AncientJoe/Walwet_zpsagsrj1ax.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p><i>LYDIAN KINGDOM. Alyattes or Walwet (ca. 610-561 BC). EL sixth-stater or hecte (11mm, 2.36 gm). Lydo-Milesian standard. Sardes(?) mint. Confronting lion's heads, only the left visible; WALWET (in Lydian script) between / Two incuse square punches side-by-side. Weidauer Group XVII, 103. Well struck, with a particularly well centered lion's head and clear inscription. Extremely Fine. Among the finest known specimens of this rare early inscribed coinage. From the Providence Collection.</i></p><p><br /></p><p>These coins are among the first in history to carry an inscription as well as a formal type and are exceptionally rare, with only a small number known today across all denominations.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="AncientJoe, post: 2261261, member: 44357"]The lion head coinage is among the earliest which can be definitively attributed to the Lydian kingdom. Most of these coins are anepigraphic – without a legend – but a small number contain the inscription “WALWET” in ancient Lydian. This name is thought to refer to the Memnad king known by Greek sources as Alyattes, who ruled circa 620-564 BC. Through hoard evidence, it is clear that both the inscribed and uninscribed coins were minted at the same time. Interestingly, all of the inscribed trites and hektes are struck from obverse dies which have far more detail than could fit on the coins. They contain two facing lion heads surrounding the Lydian inscription and are generally struck off-center so that only one of the lion heads is visible with the inscription. While no larger denominations have been found, it is possible that the dies were originally intended for a larger “stater”, or that there was some significance to striking with one particular side of the die. I've recently added two coins of this type to my collection - the first a hemihekte, which is exceptional for the presence of both lions and every letter of the inscription: [IMG]http://i1028.photobucket.com/albums/y342/AncientJoe/WALWETHemihekte_zps7ueqwqab.jpg[/IMG] [I]Kings of Lydia. temp. Alyattes EL Hemihekte - 1/12 Stater. Sardes, circa 610-560 BC. Lion’s head left with open jaws, solar-disk above forehead, confronting open jaws of lion’s head right; WALWET (in Lydian retrograde script) between / Incuse square punch. Weidauer 111 var; cf. Weidauer 99; lot 225 above (same dies). 1.17g, 7mm. Extremely Rare. Clear and with an exceptionally legible inscription, with parts of both lions. The most complete example known. From an English collection, previously in that of Otto Liman von Sanders. Ex Roma 3, lot 280[/I] The second is a hekte, featuring a particularly clear inscription and well-centered head of the left side of the die. [IMG]http://i1028.photobucket.com/albums/y342/AncientJoe/Walwet_zpsagsrj1ax.jpg[/IMG] [I]LYDIAN KINGDOM. Alyattes or Walwet (ca. 610-561 BC). EL sixth-stater or hecte (11mm, 2.36 gm). Lydo-Milesian standard. Sardes(?) mint. Confronting lion's heads, only the left visible; WALWET (in Lydian script) between / Two incuse square punches side-by-side. Weidauer Group XVII, 103. Well struck, with a particularly well centered lion's head and clear inscription. Extremely Fine. Among the finest known specimens of this rare early inscribed coinage. From the Providence Collection.[/I] These coins are among the first in history to carry an inscription as well as a formal type and are exceptionally rare, with only a small number known today across all denominations.[/QUOTE]
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