weight 8,30gr. ; gold Ø circa 15mm.

obv. Persian king with beard and wearing crown kneeling right,
shooting arrow from bow and with quiver at back
rev. Oblong incuse punch

After Kroisos was defeated by Cyrus II of Persia, the Lydian kingdom, including the rich city of Sardis, fell to the Persian Empire, ruled by the Achaemenid dynasty. Cyrus II had two sons; Cambyses II and Smerdis. After Cyrus′s death in 530 BC. he was succeeded by Cambyses II. He had Smerdis, his brother and rival, murdered and had his body hidden in secret. Somehow the Persian magician Gaumata had found out about this. When Cambyses II stayed abroad during a trip, Gaumata took his chance. Gaumata pretended to be Smerdis, whom he bore great resemblance to, and overthrew Cambyses. After seven months the deception was revealed by one of his harem women and Smerdis was put to death. On the way to retake his throne, Cambyses II died. He had no legal heirs. In the end, the Persian nobles chose Darius I, a distant relative of Cyrus I, as their new king. His rule started september 521 BC. That turned out to be a lucky choice, because Darius turned out to be a good administrator and organizer with also good military capabilities. He would go down in history as ′Darius the Great′. He also introduced a new coinage system based on the dareikos. In theory, those coins should be valid throughout his Empire, but from archeology we know that those coins circulated mainly in the western parts of his Empire, especially in Asia Minor. There they were also struck, namely at Sardis. In addition to being king of Persia, he was also Pharaoh of Egypt. After his death in 485 BC succeeded by his son Xerxes.

To enhance the economic basic of the Persian empire, Darius I the Great instituted a number of measures with long-lasting effects. He established a fixed taxation system, coined money, built canals, underground waterways and improved the royal navy. To facilitate trade and also to standardize the means of transactions, Darius introduced a royal Persian coinage. Up to his reign, trade and payments had been in barter or in the monetary systems of Lydia (gold coins of Croesus) of various Ionian cities. Circa 520 BC he introduced the silver shekel or siglos,with a weight of about 5,6 grams, followed by a gold gold, round 513 BC, with a weight of about 8,4 grams. The gold gold was named after him, rendered in Greek as dareikos,equaling in value 20 silver coins (sigloi). The gold used in the coins was of very high quality with a purity of 95.83% and it bore the image of the Persian king in his national dress and carrying his national weapon, the bow. One dareikos equaled the monthly wage of a mercenary soldier. The Persian policy of provincial freedom allowed vassal kings (of Lycia, Sidon, Cyprus etc.) and Persian satraps of western provinces, where interaction with Greeks was strong, to coin money and evenplace their own images on the coins. But none could coin in gold, which remained the prerogative of the Great King. The use of sigloi and dareiki ended with Alexander the Great′s invasion in 330 BC, after which they were mostly melted down and recoined as coins of Alexander. This is believed to be the main reason for their rarity, in spite of their widespread usage at the time.

BMC- ; SNG.Berry- ; Kraay pag.32 ; Babelon- ;
Carradice in BAR 343(1987), type II,  Pl.XI,11 ;
Mitchiner ATAEC 1932 ; Sunrise collection 19 ;
Meadown, administration 319 ; Sear 3425  RR
These first issues of the dareikos are very rare.
vf/xf

weight 5,23gr. ; silver, circa 15x11mm.
Carradice type II

obv. Persian king with beard and wearing crown kneeling right,
shooting arrow from bow and with quiver at back
rev. Oblong incuse punch

After Kroisos was defeated by Cyrus II of Persia, the Lydian kingdom, including the rich city of Sardis, fell to the Persian Empire, ruled by the Achaemenid dynasty. Cyrus II had two sons; Cambyses II and Smerdis. After Cyrus′s death in 530 BC. he was succeeded by Cambyses II. He had Smerdis, his brother and rival, murdered and had his body hidden in secret. Somehow the Persian magician Gaumata had found out about this. When Cambyses II stayed abroad during a trip, Gaumata took his chance. Gaumata pretended to be Smerdis, whom he bore great resemblance to, and overthrew Cambyses. After seven months the deception was revealed by one of his harem women and Smerdis was put to death. On the way to retake his throne, Cambyses II died. He had no legal heirs. In the end, the Persian nobles chose Darius I, a distant relative of Cyrus I, as their new king. His rule started september 521 BC. That turned out to be a lucky choice, because Darius turned out to be a good administrator and organizer with also good military capabilities. He would go down in history as ′Darius the Great′. He also introduced a new coinage system based on the dareikos. In theory, those coins should be valid throughout his Empire, but from archeology we know that those coins circulated mainly in the western parts of his Empire, especially in Asia Minor. There they were also struck, namely at Sardis. In addition to being king of Persia, he was also Pharaoh of Egypt. After his death in 485 BC succeeded by his son Xerxes.

BMC Arabia, page 173, 185 ; SNG.Copenhagen 280 ;
Carradice in BAR 343(1987), type II, Pl.XI, 11-13 ; Sear 3428 ;
Noe Sigloi, plate XIII, 215 ; Winzer 1.6 ; Asyut Hoard 714 ;
Mitchiner ATAEC 1936 ; Kayhan - ; Rosen - ; Winzer 1.6 R
f/vf

weight 8,39gr. ; gold Ø circa 15mm.

obv. Persian king with beard and crown, wearing kidaris and kandys,
quiver over shoulder, in kneeling-running stance right, holding spear 
in right hand and bow in left holding bow and transverse spear
rev. Oblong incuse punch

This dareikos type was probably introduced in connection with the accession of Xerxes I in 485 BC. Its production was probably continued into the early reign of Xerxes′ successor, Artaxerxes.

The gold dareikos was named after Darius I the Great (521-485 BC), equaling in value 20 silver coins (sigloi). The gold used in the coins was of very high quality with a purity of 95.83% and it bore the image of the Persian king in his national dress and carrying his national weapon, the bow. One dareikos equaled the monthly wage of a mercenary soldier. It was an international trade coin; hoards have been found from Sicily to Afghanistan. It is one of the few coins mentioned in the Old Testament (I Chronicles 29:7, Ezra 2:69 and 8:27, and Nehemiah 7:72). The Persian policy of provincial freedom allowed vassal kings (of Lycia, Sidon, Cyprus etc.) and Persian satraps of western provinces, where interaction with Greeks was strong, to coin money and evenplace their own images on the coins. But none could coin in gold, which remained the prerogative oft he Great King. The use of sigloi and dareiki ended with Alexander the Great′s invasion in 330 BC, after which they were mostly melted down and recoined as coins of Alexander. This is believed to be the main reason for their rarity, in spite of their widespread usage at the time.

SNG.Copenhagen 274 ; Sunrise 24-27; BMC 43 (pl.XXIV, 26) ;
Babelon pag.46, 1 (Pl. LXXXVI, 2-3) ; Meadows, administration 321 ;
Carradice in BAR 343 (1987), type IIIb (early), group A/B, pl.XIII, 27 ;
SNG.Berry 1447 ; Mitchiner ATAEC 1970 ; Sear 4679

Attractive and well-centred lustrous example. Rare this nice.
xf-

weight 5,51gr. ; silver, circa 16x13mm.
Carradice type IIIb (early)

obv. Persian king with beard and crown, wearing kidaris and kandys,
quiver over shoulder, in kneeling-running stance right, holding transverse
spear in right hand and bow in left
rev. Oblong incuse punch

This siglos type was probably introduced in connection with the accession
of Xerxes I in 485 BC. Its production was probably continued into the early
reign of Xerxes′ successor, Artaxerxes I.

Some interesting small countermarks / banker′s marks on both sides.

SNG.Copenhagen 281 ; SNG.Kayhan 1030 ; Sunrise 25 ;
Carradice in BAR 343 (1987), type IIIb (early), pl.XII, 16 ; Sear 4678 ;
Babelon, Traité II, page 46, nos.1-4 (pl. LXXXVI, 4-9) ; Winzer 1.11 ;
Rosen collection 673 ; Asyut Hoard 715-731 ; Mitchiner ATAEC 1948-1960 ;
Babelon, Traité I, pl. X, 14-18, 21-23
vf-

weight 5,31gr. ; silver, circa 15x11mm.

Carradice type IIIb (early)

obv. Persian king with beard and crown, wearing kidaris and kandys,

quiver over shoulder, in kneeling-running stance right, holding transverse

spear in right hand and bow in left

rev. Oblong incuse punch

This siglos type was probably introduced in connection with the accession of Xerxes I in 485 BC. Its production was probably continued into the early reign of Xerxes′ successor, Artaxerxes I.

SNG.Copenhagen 281 ; SNG.Kayhan 1030 ; Sunrise 25 ;

Carradice in BAR 343 (1987), type IIIb (early), pl.XII, 16 ; Sear 4678 ;

Babelon, Traité II, page 46, nos.1-4 (pl. LXXXVI, 4-9) ; Winzer 1.11

Rosen collection 673 ; Asyut Hoard 715-731 ; Mitchiner ATAEC 1948-1960 ;

Babelon, Traité I, pl. X, 14-18, 21-23

f+ à f/vf

weight 5,31gr. ; silver, circa 15x11mm.
Carradice type IIIb (early)

obv. Persian king with beard and crown, wearing kidaris and kandys,
quiver over shoulder, in kneeling-running stance right, holding transverse
spear in right hand and bow in left
rev. Oblong incuse punch

This siglos type was probably introduced in connection with the accession of
Xerxes I in 485 BC. Its production was probably continued into the early
reign of Xerxes′ successor, Artaxerxes I.

SNG.Copenhagen 281 ; SNG.Kayhan 1030 ; Sunrise 25 ;
Carradice in BAR 343 (1987), type IIIb (early), pl.XII, 16 ; Sear 4678 ;
Babelon, Traité II, page 46, nos.1-4 (pl. LXXXVI, 4-9) ; Winzer 1.11
Rosen collection 673 ; Asyut Hoard 715-731 ; Mitchiner ATAEC 1948-1960 ;
Babelon, Traité I, pl. X, 14-18, 21-23
f+

weight 5,32gr. ; silver, circa 15x13mm.
Carradice type IIIb (early)

obv. Persian king with beard and crown, wearing kidaris and kandys,
quiver over shoulder, in kneeling-running stance right, holding transverse
spear in right hand and bow in left
rev. Oblong incuse punch

This siglos type was probably introduced in connection with the accession
of Xerxes I in 485 BC. Its production was probably continued into the early
reign of Xerxes′ successor, Artaxerxes I.

SNG.Copenhagen 281 ; SNG.Kayhan 1030 ; Sunrise 25 ;
Carradice in BAR 343 (1987), type IIIb (early), pl.XII, 16 ; Sear 4678 ;
Babelon, Traité II, page 46, nos.1-4 (pl. LXXXVI, 4-9) ; Winzer 1.11;
Rosen collection 673 ; Asyut Hoard 715-731 ; Mitchiner ATAEC 1948-1960 ;
Babelon, Traité I, pl. X, 14-18, 21-23
small banker′s marks on both sides
f

weight 8,37gr. ; silver Ø circa 13mm.
Carradice type IV (early)

obv. Persian king with beard and crown, wearing kidaris and
kandys, quiver over shoulder, in kneeling-running stance right,
holding akinakès (dagger) in right hand and bow in left
rev. Oblong incuse punch with inside a
small lion head in profile left (very faint)

This Dareikos type was introduced during the reign of Artaxerxes II and its production was continued during the reign of his son Artaxerxes III. A notable exception is a rare issue from the early phase of Type IV′s when a small design element was added to the incuse punch (a lion scalp facing, a lion head in profile, a facing helmet). The specimen offered here shows a small lion head in profile left. The lion′s head, the ancient symbol of the Lydian kings, is probably a reference to the mint of Sardis, capital of the former Lydian kingdom. Very rare.

cf. BMC page 163, 109 (Pl.XXVI, 9) ; SNG.Copenhagen - ; 
cf. Carradice in BAR 343 (1987), type IV (early), pl.XIII, 32 ;
Rosen collection - ; cf. Sunrise collection 27 ; SNG.Kayhan - ;
cf. Babelon, Traité II, page 66, 30 (Pl.LXXXVII, 17) ; Sear - ;
cf. Mitchiner ATAEC 1974 (Sardis, Gordium or Babylon) RR
Very lustrous specimen. Near mintstate.
unc-

weight 5,52gr. ; silver 13x12mm.
Carradice type IV

obv. Persian king with beard and crown, wearing kidaris and
kandys, quiver over shoulder, in kneeling-running stance right,
holding akinakès (dagger) in right hand and bow in left
rev. Oblong incuse punch

This siglos type was introduced during the reign of Artaxerxes II and
its production was  continued during the reign of his son Artaxerxes III.

cf. BMC page 171, 172 ; SNG.Copenhagen 284 ; SNG.Kayhan 1031 ; 
Slg. Klein 763 ; cf. Carradice in BAR 343 (1987), type IV, pl.XV,46 ; 
Rosen collection 677 ; Sunrise 33-36 ; Asyut Hoard- ; cf. Sear 4683 ;
Babelon, Traité II, page 62, 26-27 (Pl.LXXXVII, 9-12) ;
Mitchiner ATAEC 1985 (Gordium)
vf-

weight 5,31gr. ; silver 17x12mm.
Carradice type IV

obv. Persian king with beard and crown, wearing kidaris and
kandys, quiver over shoulder, in kneeling-running stance right,
holding akinakès (dagger) in right hand and bow in left
rev. Oblong incuse punch

This siglos type was introduced during the reign of Artaxerxes II and
its production was  continued during the reign of his son Artaxerxes III.

cf. BMC page 171, 172 ; SNG.Copenhagen 284 ; SNG.Kayhan 1031 ; 
Slg. Klein 763 ; cf. Carradice in BAR 343 (1987), type IV, pl.XV,46 ; 
Rosen collection 677 ; Sunrise 33-36 ; Asyut Hoard- ; cf. Sear 4683 ;
Babelon, Traité II, page 62, 26-27 (Pl.LXXXVII, 9-12) ;
Mitchiner ATAEC 1985 (Gordium)
small bankersmark on reverse
f/vf

weight 5,69gr. ; silver 14x12mm.
Carradice type IV

obv. Persian king with beard and crown, wearing kidaris and
kandys, quiver over shoulder, in kneeling-running stance right,
holding akinakès (dagger) in right hand and bow in left
rev. Oblong incuse punch

This siglos type was introduced during the reign of Artaxerxes II and
its production was  continued during the reign of his son Artaxerxes III.

The symbol on the reverse resembles a leaf. It is not struck, as with bankers marks or countermarks, but it is applied in the die and therefore also struck during the minting. At sigloi we know specimens with lion′s head, struck in the same way on the reverse, but this symbol is unknown to me. As such it is extremely rare and deserves further study. Highly interesting piece and possibkly unique.

cf. BMC page 171, 172 ; SNG.Copenhagen 284 ; SNG.Kayhan 1031 ; 
Slg. Klein 763 ; cf. Carradice in BAR 343 (1987), type IV, pl.XV,46 ; 
Rosen collection 677 ; Sunrise 33-36 ; Asyut Hoard- ; cf. Sear 4683 ;
Babelon, Traité II, page 62, 26-27 (Pl.LXXXVII, 9-12) ;
Mitchiner ATAEC 1985 (Gordium)
some flatness of strike on obverse
f/vf

weight 1,26gr. ; silver Ø 8mm.
Carradice type IV

obv. Persian king with beard and crown, wearing kidaris and kandys,
quiver over shoulder, in kneeling-running stance right, holding dagger
in right hand and bow in left
rev. Square incuse punch 

This ¼ siglos type was introduced during the reign of Artaxerxes II and
its production was  continued during the reign of his son Artaxerxes III.

BMC Arabia, page 167, no.143 (pl.XXVI, 27) ; SNG.Copenhagen- ;
Rosen collection 679 ; Carradice type IV,late ; Sunrise 37 ;
Sammlung Klein 764 ; Mitchiner ATAEC 1979 (Gordium) ;
Babelon , Traité II, page 62, no.28 (Pl.LXXXVII, 13) RR
Very attractive for the type and very rare denomination.
vf