Lydian, Silver Coinage

1Copy of lydian2.jpg
1Copy of lydian.jpg

Dublin Core

Title

Lydian, Silver Coinage

Subject

Kingdom of Lydia, Croesus, ca. 560-546 BCE, divisions of silver stater. Sardes Mint.
OBVERSE: Confronting heads of lion and bull.
REVERSE: Incuse punch.

Description

These coins, from about the same time but of differing weight and size, both show the typical lion facing a bull. This image was the standard design on the earliest Lydian silver coinage, thought by most scholars to be the oldest silver coinage. These coins were the first to be struck in denominations of both gold and silver. They also represent one of the first standardized coinage systems, started by King Croesus. Gold coins minted by his administration ranged from stater to 1/12 of a stater, while silver ranged from stater to 1/24 of a stater. They were small enough for transactions to be preformed easily and efficiently and offered the inspiration for almost all other coinage.

Source

On loan from Gary Leiser, private collection, Hallie Ford Museum of Art, Salem, OR. L2012.050.001-.002.

Date

ca. 560-546 BCE

Rights

Hallie Ford Museum of Art

Format

L2012.050.001
0.473 in
0.070 oz

L2012.050.002
0.314 in
0.030 oz

Type

Coin

Coverage

This item can be viewed on Hallie Ford Museum of Art's website.

Citation

“Lydian, Silver Coinage,” Hallie Ford Museum of Art Exhibits, accessed December 26, 2024, https://library.willamette.edu/hfma/omeka/items/show/130.

Geolocation