Ancient Coins

Greek coinage, Uncertain Thraco-Macedonian, Uncertain mint, Electrum Stater c. 500-480, forepart of rampant lion right, rev. rectangular incuse square, 14.04g (cf. Tkalec AG sale 23 October 1992, 112). Very fine, very rare £20,000-25,000

Provenance: Leu sale 57, 1993, 105

The obverse of this rare issue has stylistic affinities with the winged lions of Mytilelene, cf. Bodensteht 9. The reverse rectangular incuse is similar to two uncertain issues found in Thrace (cf. Rosen 148-149 = M. Price ‘A field in Western Thrace’ in Coin Hoards II, 1976, p. 7, fig. 1, 3-4). The coin is struck on the ‘Milesian’ weight standard used by the cities of the Ionian League during the revolt of 499-494, but lacks the characteristic four part reverse incuse square and may have been issued by sympathisers to the Ionian cause, vindicating Svoronos’ long discredited theory that there was a substantial Thraco-Macedonian electrum coinage.