Sale: Triton VIII, Lot: 438. Estimate $10000.  Closing Date: Monday, 10 January 2005.  Sold For $16000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

IONIA, Uncertain. Circa 650-600 BC. EL Stater (17.51 gm). Samian-Euboic standard. Plain type. Rough plain surface / Bipartite incuse square punch. Unpublished, but cf. Harlan J. Berk 135th Buy or Bid Sale (10 December 2003), no. 4 for a third stater struck with the same reverse punch. Good VF for type. ($10,000)

This coin is from a subgroup within plain type series of electrum characterized by a small bipartite incuse square punch, rather than the traditional double incuse square punch. Apart from the Berk specimen, there are no published examples from this subgroup (the Berk coin is incorrectly referenced to Boston MFA 1749, a coin from the double incuse subgroup). Although the plain type series is traditionally attributed to an uncertain mint in Ionia, Berk correctly notes this may be an issue from Samos, whose archaic issues often exhibit an incuse bisected by a thick band. Perhaps a general attribution to Western Asia Minor is more appropriate, though, as other mints in that region, such as Kamieros on Rhodes, also exhibit this characteristic during the archaic period. Of particlar interest concerning the three specimens presented here (and the Berk coin) is that all are struck with the same reverse punch, suggesting a short multi-denominational issue.

See lot 430 for more information on early electrum coinage.