Croesus 561-546 BC Gold 1/12 Stater Lion Bull NGC MS 5/5 Ancient Lydia Rare Coin

KING CROESUS GOLD — OVER 2,500 YEARS OLD

NGC MINT STATE • PERFECT 5/5 STRIKE

Offered here is a remarkable piece of ancient monetary history: a gold 1/12 Stater of King Croesus of Lydia, struck circa 561–546 BC and certified Mint State by NGC Ancients.

Lydia – King Croesus (561–546 BC)
AV Gold 1/12 Stater – “Light Series”
Weight: 0.68 grams
NGC Mint State
Strike: 5/5
Surface: 3/5 – Scuff
NGC Certification #6836576-004

The obverse features the famous confronted lion and bull, one of the most recognizable designs in all of ancient numismatics. The reverse carries the deeply impressed incuse punch characteristic of this early gold coinage.

THE KING WHOSE NAME BECAME SYNONYMOUS WITH WEALTH

Few names from antiquity remain part of our language more than 2,500 years later.

Croesus.

The legendary king of Lydia became so famous for his extraordinary wealth that the expression “rich as Croesus” survived for centuries.

More importantly for numismatists, Croesus presided over one of the great turning points in the history of money. Lydia had already pioneered early electrum coinage, but under Croesus the monetary system evolved into separately issued gold and silver coinage of standardized weight and purity—an enormously important development in the history of commerce.

This tiny gold coin is a surviving artifact from that revolution.

THE LION AND THE BULL

The confronted lion and bull became the signature design of Croeseid coinage.

Despite measuring only a fraction of the size of most ancient gold coins, this example retains remarkably strong definition. NGC awarded the coin a perfect Strike designation of 5/5, an important distinction on a denomination where fitting recognizable portions of both animals onto such a tiny flan could be challenging.

And remarkably, after approximately 2,570 years, the coin remains certified Mint State.

The NGC label notes a surface scuff, reflected in its 3/5 surface designation and visible in the high-resolution photography. It is fully accounted for in our pricing.

A SMALL COIN WITH AN ENORMOUS STORY

Ancient coins don’t have to be large to be historically important.

This little piece of gold was struck when the Persian Empire was expanding, more than a century before the age of Alexander the Great and centuries before the Roman Empire.

Croesus himself would ultimately be defeated by Cyrus the Great of Persia, making his reign one of the great crossroads between the Greek-influenced world of western Anatolia and the emerging Persian Empire.

For collectors looking for a genuine ancient gold coin tied to one of history’s most famous kings, Croeseid gold occupies a special place.

WHY THIS COIN?

✓ Genuine ancient gold of King Croesus
✓ Approximately 2,570 years old
✓ NGC certified MINT STATE
✓ Perfect NGC 5/5 Strike
✓ Desirable 0.68g Light Series denomination
✓ Iconic lion-and-bull design
✓ Connected to one of the most important developments in monetary history
✓ Professionally encapsulated and authenticated by NGC Ancients

This is exactly the type of ancient coin that can appeal beyond the traditional ancient-coin collector—to collectors of historic gold, early money, Persian and Greek history, and important artifacts of Western civilization.

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ABOUT CAPSTONE ACQUISITIONS

Capstone Acquisitions has specialized in rare coins, precious metals and historically significant numismatic material since 2004.

We are proud members of the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG) and the International Association of Professional Numismatists (IAPN), organizations representing many of the world’s leading professional numismatists.

We carefully select coins that combine rarity, quality, history and collector appeal.

Whether this is your first ancient gold coin or another addition to an advanced collection, we appreciate the opportunity to earn your business.