Description: Archaios Numismatics Description: Greek Autonomous Bronze coin of Sardes in Lydia, mid 2nd to 1st Century BC. Obverse: Wreathed head of a young Dionysus wreathed in Ivy facing Right; all within dotted circle Reverse: Horned Panther standing Left with head facing with right forepaw raised; holding broken spear in mouth breaking it with jaws; ΣAΡΔI / ANΩN above; Theta in left field; Magistrate monogram MTP (or MADP) below. Mint: Sardes, Lydia Size: 16.7 mm Weight: 6.1 g Ref: SNG Cop 464; cf. CNG 145, lot 92. Condition: VF. Very interesting coin type. Use the Pictures as your judge as grading is subjective. Inventory#: 60.07 Notes: Sardes was an ancient city and once the capital of the LYDIAN kingdom. It was situated on and around a projecting rocky spur of Mount Tmolus overlooking the plain of the Hermus and its little tributary the Pactolus, a mountain stream which, in ancient times, was famous for the gold-dust which it rolled down from the mountain, the source of the immense wealth of Croesus and his ancestors. The early electrum, gold, and silver coinage of the Lydian kings may have been issued from the Sardian mint, and it is more than probable that gold darics and silver sigloi were struck there under Persian rule. In Seleucid times regal money must have sometimes been struck at Sardes, e.g. the coins of Achaeus q. v., who proclaimed himself king at Sardes in B.C. 214. In B.C. 189 Lydia was annexed to the kingdom of the Attalids, and, between this date and B.C. 133, when it was included in the Roman Province of Asia, and even after that date, Sardes was one of the mints from which cistophori were issued. Contemporary with the cistophori are a few Alexandrine tetradrachms and drachms and some gold Philippi of late style, which were probably struck at Sardes. To this age (probably after B.C. 133) may be also assigned the rare tetradrachm described by Imhoof (Monn. gr., Pl. G. 23) with Head of young Herakles. Rev. ΣΑΡΔΙΑΝΩΝ Zeus Lydios standing. The autonomous bronze coinage of Sardes is contemporary with the cistophori, and may extend down to the early part of the first century B.C., after which there is here, as in most other towns in Roman Asia, an interval before the coinage begins again in Imperial times. The inscription on the autonomous bronze coins is ΣΑΡΔΙΑΝΩΝ, and they bear magistrates’ names, either in monogram form or at full length, in nominative case, without titles, but frequently with the addition of the patronymic, e. g. ‘Ηραιος Ιππιου νεωτ. Among the types of the autonomous bronze coins are Heads of Apollo, Herakles, Dionysos, City/Tyche, and Artemis. Rev. Club; Apollo standing; Lion; Horned panther with spear in mouth; From Head, Hist. Num. We Thank You for stopping in and taking time to look at and bid on our listings. Good Luck Bidding !We encourage you to click the "See other items" link above in the "Seller Information" area of the listing as well to check out our other items posted. We have a variety of great classical and other ancient numismatic items available. We will be regularly continuing to post for sale and auction a wide variety of Ancient Roman, Greek, and Eastern coins as well as Medieval, Byzantine, and some Modern coins as well. You can also follow us to be notified when new listings are posted. With over 20 years in the numismatics hobby we continue to revel in the excitement that comes from holding each new small piece of history in our hands. We enjoy the enduring sense of history both of the prior uses and users as well as the creativity and necessity that surround the time and place at which these coins were minted and used in circulation.Our aim is to cater not just to the high end collector but also to the hobbyist and the newly initiated and those on a limited budget. Everyone starts the hobby somewhere and where we can share our knowledge to help inform or jumpstart your collecting pleasure we will aim to do so. We want you to love every purchase you make with us and we always stand by the quality and authenticity of all the coins we are selling.
Price: 70 USD
Location: Seattle, Washington
End Time: 2024-01-02T19:04:27.000Z
Shipping Cost: 4 USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
Restocking Fee: No
Return shipping will be paid by: Buyer
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 30 Days
Refund will be given as: Money Back
Historical Period: Greek (450 BC-100 AD)
Composition: Bronze
Era: Ancient
