Important: Due to customs regulations, we ship exclusively within the European Union. Please ensure you have a valid EU delivery address before bidding. Description: Lydia, Sardes. AE18 Unit. Civic issue, struck circa 200–133 BC. Quality specimen, dark green patina ! Obverse: Unbearded, laureate head of Herakles right, lion skin knotted around neck. Reverse: ΣAΡΔIANΩN. Apollo, naked, standing left, holding raven and laurel branch; ΩANΦ monogram in left field. All within a laurel wreath. Diameter: 18,5 mm Weight: 6,43 gr Condition: See photos for condition, zoom in if needed. Reference: GRPC Lydia 155 (this coin); Forum Ancient Coins GB82561 Historical Context: Sardes, the ancient capital of the Lydian Empire and later a vital administrative center under the Seleukids and Romans, produced this civic bronze issue during a period of relative regional autonomy. The obverse features a youthful, unbearded Herakles, a departure from the more common mature depictions of the hero, emphasizing his ancestral connection to the Lydian royal lines. On the reverse, Apollo is shown with his sacred raven and a laurel branch, symbols of prophecy and purification. Sardes was the western terminus of the Persian Royal Road and remained a crossroads of Hellenic and Anatolian cultures. The "ΣAΡΔIANΩN" legend identifies the coinage as that of the "People of Sardes." This specific specimen is of particular interest to researchers as it is the published plate coin for the Greek Regional Printing Catalog (GRPC) for Lydia, serving as a primary reference for the type.