Description
| Greek. Ionia, Teos. Stater, c. 480-449 BC. | |
| Obverse: | [T]HIOИ. Winged male griffin seated right with raised wings and raised front left paw, in the right field frontal panther head. |
| Reverse: | Incusum divided into four squares. |
| Dimensions: | AR, 11.75 g, 26 mm. |
| References: | BMC 19; Balcer, SNR 103. |
| Condition: | Traces of overstriking. Slightly off center, with minor flan cracks and small area of weakness, nice light toning. Good very fine. |
| Comment: | The griffin was the coat of arms of Teos. It is shown seated right on the cities coinage. In Roman Provincial coinage the griffin appears as mintmark. After the Ionian Revolt (500/499-494 BC) Teos founded the new city Abdera on the european north coast of the aegean. Abdera copied the coat of arms of its mother city, but presented the griffin seated left on coins. |
