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Orbis Collectibles

Sardes, bronze coin — Upright club (CN type 2015)

DocumentedSupported by at least one credible specialist source.

Record status

Individual type · research required

Period

2nd–1st century BC

Issuing entity

Sardes

Coin in bronze struck at Sardes, dated 2nd–1st century BC. Corpus Nummorum, the online type corpus of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, records it as CN type 2015 (period: Hellenistic Period; issuing authority type: city).

Obverse: Head of (youthful) Apollo, right, wearing laurel wreath. Reverse: Upright club, oak wreath around bound at bottom. Legend: ΣΑΡΔΙΑΝΩΝ. Measured specimens give a mean weight of 2.95 g (from 1 recorded specimen) and a diameter of 14–16 mm (from 1 recorded specimen). Published references cited by the corpus: British Museum and Head, Catalogue of the Greek coins of Lydia, London 1901, p. 238f., nr. 10-21; Aulock et al., Sylloge nummorum graecorum Deutschland. Heft 8: Sammlung v. Aulock. Lydien 2868-3328, Berlin 1963, nr. 3125f.

Evidence at a glance

Linked sources
4
Photograph views
1
Catalogue references
2

Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.

Historical context

Sardes, also known as Sardis, was an ancient city best known as the capital of the Lydian Empire. Following the empire's fall, it served as the capital of the Persian satrapy of Lydia before developing into a major centre of Hellenistic and Byzantine culture. During the Hellenistic Period, the city functioned as an issuing authority, striking civic bronze coinage such as this piece in the second to first century BC.

Physical characteristics

Material
bronze
Recorded diameter
14–16 mm (from 1 recorded specimens)
Recorded mean weight
2.95 g (mean of 1 recorded specimens)

Technical characteristics

Mint
Sardes
Authority type
City

Design

Obverse type
Head of (youthful) Apollo, right, wearing laurel wreath.
Reverse type
Upright club, oak wreath around bound at bottom.
Reverse legend
ΣΑΡΔΙΑΝΩΝ

Identification

Period
Hellenistic Period
How to identify
Check the mint name or ethnic, the reverse type and the legend together, then compare weight and module; types from the same mint often differ only in legend arrangement, magistrate names or control marks.
Type corpus record
https://www.corpus-nummorum.eu/types/2015
Type corpus identifier
CN type 2015

Documentation checklist

Denomination
Research required
Issue or mint date
Recorded
Material
Recorded
Weight
Recorded
Mint or printer
Recorded
Mint or printer mark
Research required
Catalogue reference
Recorded
Attached photograph (check rights)
Recorded

Recorded means a field is present, not independently verified. Read its wording, supporting source and the entry’s confidence level.

Catalogue references

Research required

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