NGC Ancients: Corinthian-style Staters
Posted on 3/14/2017
Among the most recognized of all ancient coins are the staters of Corinth, an important city at the juncture of the Greek mainland and the Peloponnesus. The fully developed type shows on its obverse the mythological winged horse Pegasus, and on its reverse the head of the goddess Athena with a helmet pulled up such that it rests upon her forehead.
They were so popular in commerce that eventually they were struck not only at Corinth but at a number of other cities in Greece, Italy and Sicily, most of which were colonies of Corinth.
 |
|
| Click images to enlarge. | |
Early Corinthian staters, including this one of c.550 to 500 B.C., have an artistic design only on the obverse – Pegasus in flight. The curious letter below Pegasus is the Greek letter Koppa in an archaic form, which denotes Corinth as the mint. The reverse bears the impression of a utilitarian incuse punch.
 |
|
| Click images to enlarge. | |
In the late 6th and early 5th Centuries B.C., Corinthian staters began to feature artistic designs on both the obverse and the reverse. Though Pegasus remained the obverse type, the helmeted head of Athena replaced the incuse punch on the reverse. On the earliest issues (and for most issues of the 5th Century) the goddesses’ head is set within a deep square formed by the punch-like reverse die.
 |
|
| Click images to enlarge. | |
This issue of the 4th Century B.C. has the familiar round, broad planchet that is typical for the most productive era of striking. In this case Athena’s helmet is adorned with a laurel wreath; an eagle stands behind.
 |
|
| Click images to enlarge. | |
In Western Greece one of the main Corinthian colonies was Leucas, which struck a large quantity of Corinthian-style staters. This one of c.350 to 320 B.C. is particularly interesting with its ‘springing’ Pegasus. In this case the Greek letter lambda, for Leucas, appears on both sides.
 |
|
| Click images to enlarge. | |
Ambracia, another Corinthian colony in Western Greece, issued this stater from c.360 to 338 B.C. It is unusual in that Athena’s helmet is decorated with a large horse-hair crest; behind that is an upright spear.
 |
|
| Click images to enlarge. | |
Yet another successful Corinthian colony in Western Greece, Anactorium, issued this stater of c.350 to 300 B.C., which bears a scallop shell behind Athena’s head. A clever monogram of the letters ANA, representing the city’s name, appears beneath Pegasus.
 |
|
| Click images to enlarge. | |
A smaller Corinthian-style helmet with a horse-hair crest is used as a symbol behind the head of Athena on this stater of Argos Amphilochicum, a city near the western coast of Greece. Despite issuing a large number of Corinthian-style staters, it was not a colony of Corinth.
 |
|
| Click images to enlarge. | |
The island of Corcyra, which had been home to colonists from Corinth, issued a small number of Corinthian-style staters, including this one of c.338 to 250 B.C. Its most interesting feature is the full ethnic KOPKYPAIΩN, which identifies it as a coin of the Corcyrans.
 |
|
Click images to enlarge. |
|
The Italian peninsula wasn’t far from the shore of western Greece – hence the great deal of trade conducted between the Greek colonists in both regions. One Greek city in the ‘toe’ of Italy, Locri Epizephyrii, issued this Corinthian-style stater sometime between c.350 and 275 B.C. Like the aforementioned issue of Corcyra, its ethnic is spelled out rather than abbreviated.
 |
|
| Click images to enlarge. | |
A neighbor of Locri in the ‘toe’ of Italy was Medma, which produced a small issue of Corinthian-style staters from c.330 to 317 B.C. In this case the mint mark is not prominently displayed, but is secreted beneath the truncation of Athena’s bust.
 |
|
| Click images to enlarge. | |
A third city in the Italian ‘toe’ to strike Corinthian-style staters was Hipponium, which seems to have issued them c.350 to 300 B.C. Like Medma (above), it also was a colony of its neighbor Locri. The only symbol on this issue is a caduceus.
 |
|
Click images to enlarge. |
|
This stater was a product of Syracuse, the most important Greek city in the Western Mediterranean. Attributed to c.344 to 317 B.C., it was struck about four centuries after Syracuse had been founded by Corinth as a colony in the 8th Century B.C. Its ethnic ΣYPAKOΣIΩN is fully rendered.
 |
|
| Click images to enlarge. | |
Also from Syracuse is this stater issued by King Agathocles (317 to 289 B.C.). In keeping with the numismatic trends in Sicily, Athena was moved to the obverse and Pegasus was moved to the reverse. On this piece Athena’s helmet is beautifully adorned with a horse-hair crest and a leaping griffin. A trisceles, the personal badge of Agathocles, appears beneath Pegasus. Along the periphery of the reverse is the city’s full ethnic, ΣYPAKOΣIΩN.
 |
|
| Click images to enlarge. | |
This Corinthian-style stater of Agathocles (note the trisceles below Pegasus) was struck at Syracuse, c.304 to 289 B.C., at a reduced weight standard of about 6.90 grams. These coins weigh considerably less than the normal 8.60 grams of the Corinthian standard. Later still, an even-further-reduced stater of about 5.50 grams was issued by the Syracusan King Hieron II (275 to 215 B.C.), by which time scholars believe the coin may have been intended as an octobol or a tridrachm rather than a stater.
Interested in reading more articles on Ancient coins? Click here
Images courtesy of Classical Numismatic Group.
Stay Informed
Want news like this delivered to your inbox once a month? Subscribe to the free NGC eNewsletter today!
Add Coin
Join NGC for free to add coins, track your collection and participate in the NGC Registry. Learn more >
