Fourree stater

ca. 600–500 BC

Not on view

With the invention of ancient coinage, issuing authorities put symbols on carefully weighed lumps of metal to guarantee their weight. This stater of Kyzikos, however, is an ancient counterfeit. Rather than pure electrum, an alloy of gold and silver, it is only plated in the precious metal. Despite harsh penalties, including death for the perpetrator, counterfeiting seems to have been surprisingly widespread in antiquity.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Title: Fourree stater
Date: ca. 600–500 BC
Culture: Greek, Mysia, Kyzikos
Medium: Electrum
Dimensions: 3/4 in. (18.5 mm)
Classification: Coins
Credit Line: Bequest of Nanette B. Kelekian, 2020
Object Number: 2021.40.86
Curatorial Department: Greek and Roman Art

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