What is the Lydian Electrum Trite ("Lion Stater")?

Earliest coins to reach Persian markets; the prototype Achaemenid coinage would later replace. It was struck in c. 610–560 BCE at Sardis under King Alyattes.

What metal and weight is the Lydian Electrum Trite ("Lion Stater")?

Electrum (gold-silver alloy), weighing approximately ~4.7 g.

Persian Treasury

فارسی11 eras

Pre-Achaemenid & Median

Lydian Electrum Trite ("Lion Stater")

Earliest coins to reach Persian markets; the prototype Achaemenid coinage would later replace.

Key specifications for Lydian Electrum Trite ("Lion Stater")
Date	c. 610–560 BCE
Ruler / issuer	King Alyattes
Mint	Sardis
Metal	Electrum (gold-silver alloy)
Weight	~4.7 g
Era	Pre-Achaemenid & Median (c. 1000 – 550 BCE)
Region	Median Empire, Elam

Obverse

Roaring lion's head right with sun-burst on forehead.

Reverse

Two incuse square punches.

Historical context — Pre-Achaemenid & Median

Before struck coinage, value moved as silver bullion (hacksilber), bent bars, and Elamite weight-pieces. Lydian electrum staters reached the Iranian plateau via Anatolian trade in the 7th century BCE.

Read the full Pre-Achaemenid & Median essay →

Frequently asked

What is the Lydian Electrum Trite ("Lion Stater")?: Earliest coins to reach Persian markets; the prototype Achaemenid coinage would later replace. It was struck in c. 610–560 BCE at Sardis under King Alyattes.
What metal and weight is it?: Electrum (gold-silver alloy), weighing approximately ~4.7 g.
What designs appear on it?: Obverse: Roaring lion's head right with sun-burst on forehead. Reverse: Two incuse square punches.

Lydian Gold Stater of Croesus

King Croesus (Kroisos)

c. 561–546 BCE

Croesus, last king of Lydia, replaced the older electrum coinage with the world's first true bimetallic system in pure gold and pure silver — a model the Achaemenid daric/siglos would inherit a generation later.