Lydia Croesus 561-546 BC Silver Stater NGC CHXF Lion & Bull 1st Pure Silver Coin

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Lydia Croesus 561-546 BC Silver Stater NGC CHXF Lion & Bull First Pure Silver Coin!!

Unique and uncommon shape for this large Silver Stater. Very archaic design. Very rare in this high of a grade.

KINGS of LYDIA. Croesus (Kroisos). Ca. 561-546 BC. Full silver Stater Sardes mint. Obv. Confronted foreparts of lion, and charging bull opposite.

Rev. Two incuse squares 

NGC graded CHXF, Strike 5/5, Surface 3/5 among finest known available for sale today.

 Croesus of Lydia was one of the most famous kings of antiquity. Although we know few concrete facts about him. Lydia was already the dominant power in Asia Minor before Croesus (often rendered as Kroisos) attained the kingdom’s throne in about 561 BC as the son of Alyattes, who had reigned for the previous half-century. The most important reform attributed to him was the introduction of a bimetallic coinage in gold and silver, first augmenting and then replacing the previous smaller electrum issues. The design chosen by King Croesus, the confronting foreparts of a lion and bull, are thought to be symbolic of “strength and power” (lion) and “fertility” (bull). The lion had previously been used by his father Alyattes , and so an alternative theory might be that this is a dynastic type, with the lion representing Alyattes and the bull representing his son and successor. The creation of separate gold and silver denominations ranging from a full “Heavy and Light” stater down to 1/96th of a stater was a visionary move that had a major impact on the ancient economy. All fractionals are very rare and highly sought after. 

The 'Croesus ' type coinage is one of the most recognizable of all ancient Greek coinage. All of the issues in the bimetallic, gold and silver, series feature the same confronted lion and bull foreparts on the obverse, and two incuse punches (or a single punch in the case of small denominations) on the reverse.

Guaranteed genuine and authentic.