Persian Treasury
Ruler

Coinage of King Alyattes

1 catalogued issue of King Alyattes — metal, weight, mint, obverse and reverse descriptions with references.

In short

Alyattes of Lydia (c. 610–560 BCE), father of Croesus, presided over the earliest struck coinage in history — the electrum staters and fractions with a lion's head that are the ancestors of all coined money. King Alyattes issued 1 catalogued coin type dated 560 BCE – 610 CE, recorded here with metal, weight, mint, obverse and reverse descriptions. The surviving issues in this catalogue are struck in Electrum at Sardis.

Catalogued
1
Eras
1
Metals
1
Denominations
1

Key facts

Key facts about King Alyattes in the Persian Treasury catalogue
Catalogued pieces1
Date range560 BCE – 610 CE
Eras representedPre-Achaemenid & Median
MetalsElectrum
DenominationsStater
MintsSardis
Reignc. 610–560 BCE
CoinageElectrum staters and fractions
TypeLion head, punch reverse
LegacyInherited by Persia via Croesus and Cyrus

The first struck money

Lydian electrum with a roaring lion head, struck on the Lydo-Milesian standard with a punch reverse, is conventionally the earliest coinage. Alyattes' long reign covers the period in which the practice standardised.

The lion is the Mermnad dynastic badge, so the coin is simultaneously a guarantee of weight and a statement of who guarantees it — the essential idea of coinage in a single object.

Persian inheritance

Alyattes fought the Medes to a famous halt at the eclipse-interrupted Battle of the Halys in 585 BCE, fixing the border that Cyrus would later cross.

Two generations later Lydia and its monetary technology passed to Persia, and the daric and siglos grew directly out of what Alyattes' mint began.

Pre-Achaemenid & Median · c. 1000 – 550 BCE

Era overview →

Lydian Electrum Trite ("Lion Stater")

King Alyattes

c. 610–560 BCE

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

Frequently asked about King Alyattes

Who made the first coins?
Lydia under the Mermnad kings, with Alyattes' reign covering the standardisation of electrum staters bearing the lion's head.
How does this relate to Persian coinage?
Persia captured Lydia in 546 BCE and inherited its mint, standards and expertise; the daric and siglos descend directly from the Lydian system.
What coins did King Alyattes issue?
King Alyattes issued 1 catalogued coin type dated 560 BCE – 610 CE, recorded here with metal, weight, mint, obverse and reverse descriptions. The surviving issues in this catalogue are struck in Electrum at Sardis.
How many King Alyattes pieces are catalogued on Persian Treasury?
1 item, dated 560 BCE – 610 CE, spread across 1 era: Pre-Achaemenid & Median.
Which metals were used for King Alyattes coinage?
Electrum. Each entry records the metal, the approximate weight where known, and a cited reference.
Which denominations are associated with King Alyattes?
Stater. Every denomination has its own reference page with dated examples.
Where were King Alyattes coins minted?
Recorded mints include Sardis.

Explore related hubs

Denominations here

Metals here