CVC & Collectables presents this exceptional silver stater from the Island of Aegina, struck between 480 and 457 BC and certified Choice Very Fine (Ch VF) by NGC. Featuring the island’s iconic tortoise with T-back shell on the obverse and a five-part incuse reverse, this coin represents one of the earliest and most influential silver issues in the Greek world. As a principal trade coin of the Aegean and Mediterranean, the Aegina stater stands as a cornerstone of early numismatic history.
Coin Highlights:
- Issuer: Aegina (Island State)
- Date: 480–457 BC
- Mint: Aegina (modern-day Island of Aegina, Greece)
- Denomination: Stater (2 Drachmai)
- Currency Standard: Aeginetic
- Composition: Silver
- Weight: 12.27 grams
- Diameter: 19.5 mm
- Shape: Irregular round
- Technique: Hammered with incuse reverse
- Grade: NGC Choice VF (Ch VF) — Strongly struck with well-preserved detail and attractive surfaces
- References: HGC 6 #435, Jameson 1199, SNG Copenhagen 507, Dewing 1674, Gillet 947, Gulbenkian 523, Bement 1139–1140
- Numista ID: N#168893
Obverse:
- Design: Stylized sea turtle with head in profile, showcasing the distinctive T-back shell
- Symbolism: Represents maritime power and the island’s seafaring dominance in Archaic and Classical Greece
Reverse:
- Design: Large square incuse divided into five asymmetrical segments in a skewed, sunken pattern — a hallmark of Aeginetan minting
- Technique: High-relief strike with deeply impressed reverse from early Greek minting methods
Collectibility:
This Aegina AR Stater is among the earliest widely circulated silver coins in the Greek world and was essential to ancient Mediterranean trade. Struck just after the Persian Wars and during the Classical rise of city-states, this stater is both historically and visually important. The T-back tortoise and deeply impressed incuse reverse are classic Aeginetan features. With an NGC Ch VF grade and excellent strike, this coin is a desirable acquisition for collectors of early Greek coinage, trade coinage, or archaic numismatics. Explore a captivating collection of numismatic treasures that offer glimpses into civilizations long past. Uncover the allure of ancient history through this link: Ancient Coins
