New Denomination for Samos

Triton XXII, Lot: 256. Estimate $750. Sold for $2750. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ISLANDS off IONIA, Samos. Circa 600-570 BC. EL 1/192 Stater (3mm, 0.08 g). Rough surface with irregular markings / Incuse punch with irregular markings around central pellet. Triton XIII, lot 190 (same die and punch [as Ionia, uncertain mint]); otherwise, an unpublished denomination for series, but cf. Konuk, Electrum, Type 1, hemihektai (first two examples = SNG Kayhan 633 and 1511), which have extremely similar forms. VF, as made. Extremely rare, only the Triton XIII coin published.

Ex G. Hirsch 309 (7 May 2015), lot 183 (as uncertain mint in Asia Minor).

The 1/192 stater is the rarest, by far, of electrum denominations. A search of CoinArchives finds only five examples of all types.