Corinthia, Stater, ca. 345-307 BC
Corinth - Silver - AU(50-53) - HGC:4-1848
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Pegasus flying left, Ϙ between its legs.
Head of Athena wearing a Corinthian helmet over her long curly hair on the left, Γ under her chin, dove in a wreath in the right field.
Well-centered Corinthian stater with a superb cabinet patina! The wings of Pegasus and the muscles of his body are perfectly visible. Every feather and joint can be seen, right down to one of his nostrils! As for the reverse, the head of Athena is particularly fine and beautiful. You can see every element of her eye and the single-strand pearl necklace she wears around her neck. The locks of her hair are marked by several fine lines, while the various elements of her helmet are perfectly preserved. The dove's feathers, particularly those on her wings, are still largely visible. A truly superb specimen! The iconography of this coinage - Pegasus and Athena - is not insignificant for Corinth, since these two emblematic figures of Greek mythology are represented in various myths that take place in the city. HGC 4, 1848; Calciati 419; Ravel 1029 and BCD Corinth 110. Faune d'Argent Collection.
8.64 gr
Silver
Silver can fall into your pocket but also falls between copper and gold in group 11 of the periodic table. Three metals frequently used to mint coins. There are two good reasons for using silver: it is a precious metal and oxidizes little upon contact with air. Two advantages not to be taken for granted.
Here is thus a metal that won’t vanish into thin air.
It’s chemical symbol Ag is derived from the Latin word for silver (argentum), compare Ancient Greek ἄργυρος (árgyros). Silver has a white, shiny appearance and, to add a little bit of esotericism or polytheism to the mix, is traditionally dedicated to the Moon or the goddess Artemis (Diana to the Romans).
As a precious metal, just like gold, silver is used to mint coins with an intrinsic value, meaning their value is constituted by the material of which they are made. It should be noted that small quantities of other metals are frequently added to silver to make it harder, as it is naturally very malleable (you can’t have everything) and thus wears away rapidly.
The first silver coins probably date back to the end of the 7th century BC and were struck on the Greek island of Aegina. These little beauties can be recognized by the turtle featured on the reverse.
The patina of silver ranges from gray to black.
The millesimal fineness (or alloy) of a coin indicates the exact proportion (in parts per thousand) of silver included in the composition. We thus speak, for example, of 999‰ silver or 999 parts of silver per 1 part of other metals. This measure is important for investment coins such as bullion. In France, it was expressed in carats until 1995.
An “AU(50-53)” quality
As in numismatics, it is important that the state of conservation of an item be carefully evaluated before it is offered to a discerning collector with a keen eye.
This initially obscure acronym comprising two words describing the state of conservation is explained clearly here:
About Uncirculated(50-53)
This means – more prosaically – that the coin has circulated well from hand to hand and pocket to pocket but the impact on its wear remains limited: the coins displays sharp detailing and little sign of being circulated. The number (50-53) indicates that at least half of the original luster remains. Closer examination with the naked eye reveals minor scratches or nicks.
You might be wondering why there are different ranges of numbers behind the same abbreviation. Well, we’ll explain:
The numbers are subdivisions within a category, showing that the state of conversation is the same but coins may be at the higher or lower end of the scale. In the case of AU, the range (55-58) indicates that the luster is better preserved in than a similar coin described as (50-53).
