Ionia, Miletos Hemitetartemorion (Circa 500 BC.). Lion Head / Quail within Incuse Square (No reserve price)
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An AR hemitetartemorion of Miletos, Ionia, struck circa 500 BC, depicting a lion’s head right and a quail within an incuse square, weighing 0.15 g and measuring 5.5 mm.
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Description from the seller
Important: Due to customs regulations, we ship exclusively within the European Union. Please ensure you have a valid EU delivery address before bidding.
Description:
Ionia. Miletos. AR Hemitetartemorion. Struck circa 500 BC.
Obverse: Lion's head right.
Reverse: Quail right within incuse square; two dots in field.
Diameter: 5,5 mm
Weight: 0,15 gr
Condition: See photos for condition, zoom in if needed.
Reference: SNG Berry 1045; Rosen 407/8
Historical Context:
Miletos was an economic powerhouse of the archaic Ionian world, located at the mouth of the Maeander River. As a major center of trade and maritime colonization, Miletos pioneered sophisticated monetary systems, including incredibly minute silver fractions designed to facilitate precise market transactions in an era before base-metal bronze coinage existed.
Weighing merely 0,15 grams and measuring 5,5 mm across, the hemitetartemorion (representing 1/96th of a stater) is indeed recognized numismatically as one of the smallest micro-fractions ever struck in the ancient world. Producing such diminutive silver coins required extraordinary skill from ancient die-engravers. The obverse depicts the roaring lion, the iconic civic emblem of Miletos tied to the cult of Apollo Delphinios, while the reverse features a detailed quail set within an incuse square with administrative dot control marks.
Prospective bidders are strongly encouraged to examine all photographs in conjunction with the used lighting and the stated dimensions, as high-resolution imagery may affect the perception of scale, and surface characteristics.
Important: Due to customs regulations, we ship exclusively within the European Union. Please ensure you have a valid EU delivery address before bidding.
Description:
Ionia. Miletos. AR Hemitetartemorion. Struck circa 500 BC.
Obverse: Lion's head right.
Reverse: Quail right within incuse square; two dots in field.
Diameter: 5,5 mm
Weight: 0,15 gr
Condition: See photos for condition, zoom in if needed.
Reference: SNG Berry 1045; Rosen 407/8
Historical Context:
Miletos was an economic powerhouse of the archaic Ionian world, located at the mouth of the Maeander River. As a major center of trade and maritime colonization, Miletos pioneered sophisticated monetary systems, including incredibly minute silver fractions designed to facilitate precise market transactions in an era before base-metal bronze coinage existed.
Weighing merely 0,15 grams and measuring 5,5 mm across, the hemitetartemorion (representing 1/96th of a stater) is indeed recognized numismatically as one of the smallest micro-fractions ever struck in the ancient world. Producing such diminutive silver coins required extraordinary skill from ancient die-engravers. The obverse depicts the roaring lion, the iconic civic emblem of Miletos tied to the cult of Apollo Delphinios, while the reverse features a detailed quail set within an incuse square with administrative dot control marks.
Prospective bidders are strongly encouraged to examine all photographs in conjunction with the used lighting and the stated dimensions, as high-resolution imagery may affect the perception of scale, and surface characteristics.
Details
Era
Before 1400
Weight
0.15 g
Culture/region
Ionia, Miletos
Year/period and variation
(Circa 500 BC.). Lion Head / Quail within Incuse Square
Denomination
Hemitetartemorion
Metal
AR
Condition
Ungraded
