Extremely Rare Early Trite

CNG 91, Lot: 301. Estimate $3000. Sold for $3500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

IONIA, Uncertain. Circa 600-550 BC. EL Trite – Third Stater (12mm, 4.66 g). Figural type. Milesian standard. Facing head of lion or panther within triangular incuse [on a raised area] / Two square punches with raised lines within. Weidauer 158-9; SNG von Aulock –; Boston MFA –; Traité I 28; Triton XI, lot 248 (same die and punches); Gemini VIII, lot 75 (same die and punches). VF, some die rust on obverse. Extremely rare denomination, much rarer than the hekte and hemihekte.

This trite is part of an electrum series consisting of staters, trites, hektes, hemihektes, and twenty-fourth staters (cf. Weidauer 156-65). Miletos and Samos have been proposed as the possible mint.