Sale: Triton VII, Lot: 242. Estimate $10000.  Closing Date: Monday, 12 January 2004.  Sold For $16000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

IONIA. Uncertain. Circa 650-600 BC. EL Stater (14.39 gm). Milesian standard. Flattened striated surface / Two incuse punches separated by a cleft. Cf. BMC (Miletus) 1 (10.81 gm and only 2% gold) = Traité 16 (pl. 1, 12); cf. Münzen und Medaillen 72 (Rosen Collection, 6 October 1987), lot 1 (horizontal striations); cf. Leu 71 (24 October 1997), lot 192 = Triton VI (14-15 January 2003), lot 378 (hemistater); cf. Weidauer 5 (trite), 6-8 (hekte), and 9 (hemihekte); cf. SNG Kayhan 680 (hekte), 681 (hemihekte), 682 (1/24), and 683 (1/48). Good VF, with remaining encrustation. Extremely rare, the fourth known stater of this type. [See color enlargement on plate 4] ($10,000)

Coins of this striated series are among the earliest coins and were represented by four fractions in the Artemision Deposit (see Kraay, ACGC, pg. 21). Although the smaller fractions are encountered with some frequency, the larger denominations are extremely rare. Only three staters and three hemistaters were previously known. The British Museum stater is an anomaly, as it is approximately 25% lighter and is only 2% gold. Could the British Museum piece be the silver core of a contemporary fourrée?