Persia, Achaemenid Empire. Sardes – Time of Darios I to Xerxes II (485-420 BC) – AR Siglos. Obv: Persian king in kneeling-running stance right, holding transverse spear downward in right, bow in left, bearded, crowned – 1 banker's punch. Rev: Incuse rectangular punch. Reference: Carradice Type IIIb (early) Weight: 5.39 g Diameter: 16.5 mm Metal: Silver Siglos was the Greek transliteration of the Semitic denomination „shekel” which became a standard weight unit for silver in the Achaemenid Persian Empire after the conquest of Babylonia by Cyrus the Great in 539 B.C. Ironically, silver sigloi seem to have been struck primarily in the western part of the empire and the standard went on to influence several Greek civic and royal coinages in the fifth and fourth centuries B.C. Provenience: ex private collection. See the pictures for more details and correct impression