Ancient Greek Silver Historical Greek Coin - Tetartemorion with Griffin Head
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Selected by Peter Reynaers
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Estimate € 210 - € 250
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This ancient Greek silver tetartemorion from Teos in Ionia, dated 475–450 BC, depicts a griffin’s head on the obverse and a quadripartite incuse square on the reverse.
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Description from the seller
Attention: due to customs regulations we can only ship inside the European Union. Please ensure you have a valid EU shipping address before placing a bid.
Ancient Greece, Ionia, Teos, AR Tetartemorion.
Obverse: Head of griffin right.
Reverse: Quadripartite incuse square.
Weight: ± 0,18 g
Size: ± 6.1 x 5.5 mm
Reference: SNG Kayhan 603
Condition: very fine.
Certificate of Authenticity (PDF) is available upon request for all lots with a hammer price of €100 or higher.
A Tiny Coin with a Remarkable History
-> Imagine holding a piece of ancient Greek history so small that it could easily disappear beneath your fingertip!
The tetartemorion was one of the smallest silver coins of the ancient Greek world, typically measuring just 5-7 mm and weighing around 0.2 grams. Worth only a quarter of an obol, or 1/24 of a drachm, these miniature coins demonstrate the remarkable skill of ancient Greek craftsmen, who managed to create recognisable designs on an incredibly small surface.
This example was struck in Teos, an ancient Greek city on the coast of Ionia (modern-day western Turkey), more than 2400 years ago. Despite its tiny size, the coin features the head of a griffin, a mythical creature combining the body of a lion with the head and wings of an eagle. The griffin was closely associated with Teos and became a characteristic symbol of the city's coinage.
Teos itself had a fascinating history. During the 6th century BC, the region came under Persian domination, prompting many of its inhabitants to leave their homeland and establish new communities elsewhere, including Abdera in Thrace.
What makes these coins particularly remarkable is that such tiny pieces of silver were actually produced as currency in the ancient world. Today, they offer a fascinating glimpse into early Greek coinage, trade and craftsmanship.
A miniature treasure from a civilisation that flourished over two millennia ago.
Seller's Story
Please read our information carefully.
*SHIPPING INFO Due to insurance procedures, combined shipping is only possible with a single payment. (1 payment reference = 1 insured parcel.) If you accept an offer after the auction and pay separately, shipments cannot be manually combined afterward. Please ensure your shipping address is complete and correct before paying. Changes made after payment are not automatically forwarded to us.
* CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY (COA) For insurance purposes we can provide a digital Certificate of Authenticity (PDF) for every item with a hammer price of Euro 100 or more. The COA is available upon request within 20 days of the auction date. Instructions will be provided when your order is shipped. Certificates are not included in the package.
* INSURANCE & CLAIMS All our parcels are shipped with external insurance. This insurance requires the following:
-> Monitor the online tracking and notify delays to the seller within 14 days after the shipping date.
-> In case of damage: write a reservation on the delivery note and report the damage to the seller via the Catawiki online chat within 24 hours. Keep all packaging and send us photos of the damage.
* MARGIN SCHEME: All our sales are subject to the margin scheme; therefore, no VAT is charged or shown on our invoices.
* IMPORTANT BUYERS OUTSIDE THE EU: We cannot ship to countries outside the European Union. Please ensure you have an EU shipping address before bidding. No exceptions can be made. Switzerland, Norway and the United Kingdom are not part of the EU.
* DOCUMENTATION NOTICE: Previous invoices and import/export documents will not be shared with customers.
----------------------
Thank you for your interest, and best of luck with your bids!
Attention: due to customs regulations we can only ship inside the European Union. Please ensure you have a valid EU shipping address before placing a bid.
Ancient Greece, Ionia, Teos, AR Tetartemorion.
Obverse: Head of griffin right.
Reverse: Quadripartite incuse square.
Weight: ± 0,18 g
Size: ± 6.1 x 5.5 mm
Reference: SNG Kayhan 603
Condition: very fine.
Certificate of Authenticity (PDF) is available upon request for all lots with a hammer price of €100 or higher.
A Tiny Coin with a Remarkable History
-> Imagine holding a piece of ancient Greek history so small that it could easily disappear beneath your fingertip!
The tetartemorion was one of the smallest silver coins of the ancient Greek world, typically measuring just 5-7 mm and weighing around 0.2 grams. Worth only a quarter of an obol, or 1/24 of a drachm, these miniature coins demonstrate the remarkable skill of ancient Greek craftsmen, who managed to create recognisable designs on an incredibly small surface.
This example was struck in Teos, an ancient Greek city on the coast of Ionia (modern-day western Turkey), more than 2400 years ago. Despite its tiny size, the coin features the head of a griffin, a mythical creature combining the body of a lion with the head and wings of an eagle. The griffin was closely associated with Teos and became a characteristic symbol of the city's coinage.
Teos itself had a fascinating history. During the 6th century BC, the region came under Persian domination, prompting many of its inhabitants to leave their homeland and establish new communities elsewhere, including Abdera in Thrace.
What makes these coins particularly remarkable is that such tiny pieces of silver were actually produced as currency in the ancient world. Today, they offer a fascinating glimpse into early Greek coinage, trade and craftsmanship.
A miniature treasure from a civilisation that flourished over two millennia ago.
Seller's Story
Please read our information carefully.
*SHIPPING INFO Due to insurance procedures, combined shipping is only possible with a single payment. (1 payment reference = 1 insured parcel.) If you accept an offer after the auction and pay separately, shipments cannot be manually combined afterward. Please ensure your shipping address is complete and correct before paying. Changes made after payment are not automatically forwarded to us.
* CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY (COA) For insurance purposes we can provide a digital Certificate of Authenticity (PDF) for every item with a hammer price of Euro 100 or more. The COA is available upon request within 20 days of the auction date. Instructions will be provided when your order is shipped. Certificates are not included in the package.
* INSURANCE & CLAIMS All our parcels are shipped with external insurance. This insurance requires the following:
-> Monitor the online tracking and notify delays to the seller within 14 days after the shipping date.
-> In case of damage: write a reservation on the delivery note and report the damage to the seller via the Catawiki online chat within 24 hours. Keep all packaging and send us photos of the damage.
* MARGIN SCHEME: All our sales are subject to the margin scheme; therefore, no VAT is charged or shown on our invoices.
* IMPORTANT BUYERS OUTSIDE THE EU: We cannot ship to countries outside the European Union. Please ensure you have an EU shipping address before bidding. No exceptions can be made. Switzerland, Norway and the United Kingdom are not part of the EU.
* DOCUMENTATION NOTICE: Previous invoices and import/export documents will not be shared with customers.
----------------------
Thank you for your interest, and best of luck with your bids!
Details
Culture
Ancient Greek
Century/timeframe
475-450 BC
Name of object
Historical Greek Coin - Tetartemorion with Griffin Head
Acquired from
Dealer at a fair
Year acquired
2014
Material
Silver
Country acquired from
United Kingdom
Condition
Good
Previous owner acquired from
Dealer at a fair
Previous owner - year acquired
2014
Previous owner - country acquired from
United Kingdom
I verify that I have obtained this object legally and that I am allowed to sell it
Yes
Authenticity
Original/official
Sold by
