Croesus of Lydia gave the world its first coinage of pure silver, and this sixth-stater belongs to that founding issue. The king ruled from Sardis between 561 and 546 BC, and his mint replaced older electrum money with separate gold and silver denominations. That reform set the pattern later coinages followed, which is why collectors treat Croeseid silver as a cornerstone type. Cyrus the Great ended the Lydian kingdom in 546 BC, so the window for striking these coins lasted only a handful of years.

The obverse pairs the foreparts of a lion and a bull, facing one another with muzzles nearly touching. The lion's mane shows bold, well-defined locks, while the bull's eye and horn stand out in sharp relief. Archaic engraving gives both animals real presence on a flan barely larger than a fingernail. On the reverse sit two sunken punches forming the bipartite incuse, the simple technique Lydian moneyers used before true reverse dies existed.

NGC graded this sixth-stater Extremely Fine with marks of 5/5 for strike and 4/5 for surface, and a full strike score is welcome on archaic silver. The devices are centered and complete, with even gray toning and firm metal across the high points. Weighing 1.76 grams, this small silver piece keeps crisp animal detail where many survivors show flat or roughened surfaces. A welcome addition to any collection of archaic Greek and Lydian coinage. The coin pictured is the exact coin you will receive.

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561-546 BC Lydia Croesus Silver Sixth-Stater NGC Extremely Fine 5x4