Western Anatolian Coins
First Coins Are From Lydia
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Map of Caria Southwest Anatolia
Map of Caria Southwest Anatolia
Western Anatolia
Western Anatolia
First Coins In History Are Electrum Coins From Lydia 700-550 BCE
First Coins In History Are Electrum Coins From Lydia 700-550 BCE
First Coinage From Lydia Shows 2 Sun Lions
First Coinage From Lydia Shows 2 Sun Lions
(June 9, 2023) The dating of these first stamped coins is one of the most frequently debated topics of ancient numismatics with dates ranging from 700 BC to 550 BC. Lydia ruled most of western Anatolia before they were conquered by the rising Persian empire in 547 BCE.
The Lydian stater was composed of electrum, a naturally-occurring gold-silver alloy; though the coins are often reported to be struck from this naturally-occurring alloy, they were actually made from a specific and rather consistent mix of approximately 55% gold, 45% silver, and a small balance of copper. This indicates that silver and copper were added to natural electrum in order to achieve a more durable and balanced metal alloy. Although the extra copper slightly debased the coin's intrinsic value, it allowed it to exhibit a golden hue, unlike the pale white-gold color of pure electrum.
Image from: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/5877/the-earliest-coins-from-lydia/#google_vignette
The Lydian stater was composed of electrum, a naturally-occurring gold-silver alloy; though the coins are often reported to be struck from this naturally-occurring alloy, they were actually made from a specific and rather consistent mix of approximately 55% gold, 45% silver, and a small balance of copper. This indicates that silver and copper were added to natural electrum in order to achieve a more durable and balanced metal alloy. Although the extra copper slightly debased the coin's intrinsic value, it allowed it to exhibit a golden hue, unlike the pale white-gold color of pure electrum.
Image from: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/5877/the-earliest-coins-from-lydia/#google_vignette
First Coinage From Lydia Shows Sun Lion And Unicorn Storm Bull
First Coinage From Lydia Shows Sun Lion And Unicorn Storm Bull
(June 9, 2023) Because these coins were made from a mixture of metals they could not just be weighed to determine their value. Therefore the Lydian state put on an image and likely defined their valued by decree and accepted that value for taxes.
This coin shows the sun lion paired with its complement, the chaotic storm bull.
Image from: https://www.worldhistory.org/article/797/the-importance-of-the-lydian-stater-as-the-worlds/
This coin shows the sun lion paired with its complement, the chaotic storm bull.
Image from: https://www.worldhistory.org/article/797/the-importance-of-the-lydian-stater-as-the-worlds/
First Coinage From Lydia Shows Sun Lion And Sun Above Eye
First Coinage From Lydia Shows Sun Lion And Sun Above Eye
(June 9, 2023) Image from: https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=57383#
Silver tetradrachm from Caria province in Anatolia 14.86 grams. This coin is significant because the axe holding king figure seems to be a rare image of a personified form of Yahu/Yahweh.
The time of Homer (about 500 BCE) was when lordified (personified) deities started to appear in Aegean culture. Homer was the first bardic tale and like all other bardic tales was written in response to suppression of the local druid priesthood by some imperial power, in this case the Zoroastrian Persian Achaemenid empire which started expanding around 550 BCE. This allowed the local folk religion/culture to be expressed which was a mix of Druid and Indo-European.
Coin photo from L5 auctions at: https://l5.com/Event/LotDetails/173828/CARIA-Halikarnassos-Mausolos-dynast-and-satrap-377353-BC-Silver-tetradracm
Carian Anatolia Sun Coin 377-353 BCE
Carian Anatolia Sun Coin 377-353 BCE
(June 14, 2025) This coin was likely minted in its city of Halikarnassos. The face likely represents the sun god Hu with the flying hair representing the sun's rays (emanations of heat and light). Traditonally this image is assigned to the Greek sun god Apollo due to the Greek bias in ancient history.
The image on the other side is the god Yahu holding the staff of authority and an axe for shaping the invisible forms which direct the manifestation of life on earth. The axe in Greek texts is called a "Labrys" (Greek: λάβρυς)
The sun god Hu represents the life network which directs the fertility fluids to earth which triggers the manifestation of life forms by Yahu. Yahu shapes this form and from that pattern amorphous dust flows into it to manifest it. This idea is the foundation of magical alchemy.
Translation of Text in Akkadian (Med Text 111)
(read left to right. Capital letters on object. Small letters are inferred Inner vowels. Verbs in italic bold. Dual use letters are E/H, I/Y, U/W, and '/A in which vowel appears at beginning of words)Translation of Text in Akkadian (Med Text 111)
Chart Used: Aegean Lineage, Letter style is Greek
- Yu A IṢu Ṣu Zu LaLu
In English
In English
- Are not these being made scarce the activity from emanating desires.
Silver tetradrachm from Caria province in Anatolia. This was dated to 350 to 343 BCE by CNG. Notice that the dual use letter yod (I,Y) is not written as I indicating this coin is a generation behind the other one.
Photo from Wikimedia Common but originally from CNG coin auctions at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SATRAPS_of_CARIA._Hidrieus._Circa_351-0_to_344-3_BC.jpg
Carian Anatolia Sun Coin 350-343 BCE
Carian Anatolia Sun Coin 350-343 BCE
(June 14, 2025)
Translation of Text in Akkadian (Med Text 112)
(read left to right. Capital letters on object. Small letters are inferred Inner vowels. Verbs in italic bold. Dual use letters are E/H, I/Y, U/W, and '/A in which vowel appears at beginning of words)Translation of Text in Akkadian (Med Text 112)
Chart Used: Aegean Lineage, Letter style is Greek
- Yu DaRu IE Zu Mu
- E
In English
In English
- Is not the shaping by Yahu from emanating fertility-fluids?
- Being ineffective
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