Siglos under Persian Reign

Culture: Achaemenid

Period: Reign of Cyrus II or Cambyses II, 546-522 B.C.

Material: Silver

Dimensions: 1.4 cm long; 5.3 gram

Price: Sold

Ref: 9024

Provenance: Collection Gert Cleff, Wuppertal, Germany.

Condition: Very fine.

Description: Croesus, the king of Lydia, created the worldwide first bi-metallic coin system and minted for the first time coins made of gold and silver. After his fall the Persian occupiers adopted and continued the proven coinage system. The present siglos dating to the reign of Cyrus II or his son Cambyses II still depicts the known seal of Croesus. The lion with his mouth wide open and raised paw facing a bull with raised head and horns. The animals seem to attack each other as equals. Lion and bull were considered to be symbols for power and strength, courage and perseverance. The reverse depicts, like with all early coins, the quadratum incusum, the raw impression of the upper stamp.