AR Stater, 12.16g (21mm). Land tortoise / Five part square incuse.

Ex Glendining & Co, 27.5.1959, Lot 1748 (ex Lockett Collection)

HGC 438 SNG Lockett pl. 36,1992 (this coin) Milbank p. 43-44b, pl. 2,14

Some minor areas of wear but entire tortoise on flan. Pretty cabinet toning and plate coin in SNG Lockett. About EF. (gk1652)

$12,500

Bimetallic coinage came into existence with Croesus in Asia Minor in the later part of the 6th century BC. Shortly afterward the use of coinage started to make its way westward. Aegina was one of the first to strike coinage in the western Greek world. The initial coinage of Aegina showcased a sea turtle which was said to symbolize the strength of the Aeginians sea prowess. Later as they became less known for that they changed their coinage to the land tortoise.

This particular coin comes from the Lockett Collection, a very well respected collection auctioned in the 1950’s by the London firm of Glendining & Co.