Obverse: Forepart of lion right, head reverted.

Reverse: Stellate pattern in incuse square.

SNG Kayhan 476–82. [Ionia, Miletos, circa 525-475 BC].

Diameter: 9 mm. Weight: 1.15 g.

A beautiful silver diobol struck in Miletos in circa 525-475 BC. Miletus was an important ancient Greek city on the western coast of Anatolia. A fantastic example with a detailed depiction of a lion on the obverse. The lion was Miletos' civic badge, part of the lion's body is sometimes visible below the jaw, and less commonly its front paw is visible below its mane. What looks like its tongue between its jaws -- it's sometimes described this way -- is actually the lion's body curved behind its head, which you can see more clearly in some well-struck specimens in which the head of the lion doesn't fill the flan. This coin type in the past has typically been described as the lion facing one direction with his head reverted or facing the other direction. The reverse of these coins is mysterious and may represent the sun, a star, or a flower and is described in the literature in a multitude of ways: sun symbol (in which case it may refer to Apollo, Miletos' patron god), ornamented star, stellate pattern, starlike floral ornament, floral star, flower, floral design, or rosette. An excellent example, sharply struck with attractive cabinet toning.