Asia Minor Coins - Photo Gallery

Ancient Greek and Roman coins from Asia Minor


Coin ID #11631

Mytilene (BC 454-427) EL Stater - B60.2

ca 428-427 BC. EL Stater (15.45g). Laureate head of Apollo right, hair short; MVTI above / Quadripartite incise square. aEF.

This is the only example known and is noted in Bodenstedt as being in the British Museum (BMC 28 Pl. 32,1). It has been speculated that this may have been issued at the time of the Lesbian revolt from Athens, 428/7 BC.

File information
Filename:AN00688088_001_l-1.jpg
City/Mint name:Mytilene EL
Keywords:classical / electrum
References:Bodenstedt 60.2
Valuation:N.A.
Photo courtesy of:www.britishmuseum.com
Filesize:78 KiB
Date added:Jul 01, 2014
Dimensions:750 x 384 pixels
Displayed:1001 times
URL:http://www.asiaminorcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=11631
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Comment 1 to 1 of 1
Page: 1

Adrian   [Feb 21, 2015 at 12:59 AM]
The stater is said to have been an emission during the revolt of 428/7. The stater has an unusually low specific gravity of 10.44 (weight 15.45g) reflecting a high percentage of copper leading some scholars to suggest that the alloy was deliberately diluted to less than that mix agreed under the monetary treaty with Phokaia. This violation of the treaty, it is suggested, was part of the reason for a second treaty, amended, to make such a dilution by a moneyer punishable by death. During the years 452-427, Bodenstedt has a sequence of emissions that adhere to the first treaty of alternative issues each year between the two cities of Mytilene and Phokaia. However, for the years 427-412, Bodenstedt has Mytilene making no emissions. The system of alternative emissions between the two cities is subsequently resumed in Bodenstedt’s listing, however he gives no evidence for his assumption that the revolt resulted in a temporary suspension of minting hektai (see A.J. Heisserer, JSTOR)

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