IONIA, Uncertain. Mid 6th century BC. EL Trite – Third Stater (13mm, 4.74 g). Lydo-Milesian standard. EF.

Triton XXVI
Lot: 252. Estimated: $ 20 000

Greek, Coin-in-Hand Video, Electrum

Sold For $ 70 000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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IONIA, Uncertain. Mid 6th century BC. EL Trite – Third Stater (13mm, 4.74 g). Lydo-Milesian standard. Head of roaring lion left, with protruding tongue, and head of bull right, inverted and conjoined at the neck / Two incuse squares, each subdivided into four squares containing pellets and lines. Unpublished, but cf. J. Hammer, “Der Feingehalt der griechischen und römischen Münzen” in ZfN 26 (1908), p. 25, 57, for a trite with a different obverse type, but likely struck from the same reverse die (at an earlier die state). Minor scrapes and marks, minor double strike on reverse. EF. Unique.

This fascinating early electrum piece has a style that links it to a series of staters found in the 1989 Klazomenai hoard. The hoard was the subject of a detailed study by E. Işik (Elektronstatere aus Klazomenai. Der Schatzfund von 1989 [Saarbrücken, 1992]), but the coins were subsequently condemned by S. Hurter in her review of the study in SNR 72 (1993). Hurter's conclusion was that the coins were pressed forgeries, and she also connected these coins with another condemned stater that was published in the Bulletin on Counterfeits 17/2 (1993), p. 12, 2b. J. Spier, in his subsequent review of Işik in NC 154 (1994), followed Hurter in this condemnation. Recent research, to be presented in the near future, however, has rehabilitated some of these coins. In particular, two trites (third staters), in the Berlin and Vienna cabinets, that are connected to these issues are undoubtedly genuine, and the obverse of the Berlin example (cited above, from the 1873 Fox bequest [https://ikmk.smb.museum/object?lang=de&id=18200101]) is struck from the same obverse die used on one of the condemned Klazomenai staters. As the Fox trite in Berlin is also likely from the same reverse as the present coin, the authenticity of the present piece is not in question. Additionally, the surface of this piece has all the typical striking characteristics, minor die flaws and wear, enriched surface metal, and light irregular granularity on the edge from crystallization that one would expect on a genuine ancient electrum coin from western Asia Minor. The types on this remarkable electrum trite appear to be rough derivatives of the Kroiseid coinage, which suggests a date in the mid 6th century BC for the issue.

We are grateful to Dr. Ute Wartenberg Kagan for her invaluable assistance in cataloging this lot.

The final winners of all Triton XXVI lots will be determined at the live public sale that will be held on 10-11 January 2023.

Triton XXVI – Session One – Lots 1-334 will be held Tuesday morning, 10 January 2023 beginning at 9:00 AM ET.

Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 25% for all others.

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