One of just 11 known examples of the world's first gold coin is coming to auction next month.
The ancient Greek circa 564-539 BC Kings of Lydia Kroisos AV stater is among the highlights of Classical Numismatic Group's Triton XVIII auction on January 6-7.
 One of just 11 known examples of the world's first gold coin |
It is expected to make $50,000 - a testament to the coin's pioneering status, and its great rarity. The 11 examples are thought to be a prototype issue.
The coins were produced during the time of Kroisos, who was king of Lydia during the 6th century BC.
The first silver coins had arrived more than a century earlier in around 700 BC, courtesy of King Pheidon of Argos.
Depicting a lion and sun bull in battle, with two incuse squares on the reverse, this example is graded "good VF", with only two small scuffs.
It comes from the MoneyMuseum in Zurich, which acquired the piece at Sotheby's in 1996.
More than 1,900 lots feature in the New York sale, with several examples of coinage from ancient Greece, ancient Rome and central Asia, among many others.
Among the "other" pieces is a striking Carolingian Empire coin, issued during the time of Pepin "le Bref", king of the Franks between 754/5 and 768.
The piece comes from the Joseph R Lasser Collection and has an estimate of $3,000.
January is an exciting month for coin fanatics. Heritage Auctions' FUN US Coins Signature Auction runs from January 7-12 in Orlando. It features a 1907 ultra-high relief Saint-Gaudens double eagle, which has a starting bid of $1.4m.
