ISLANDS OFF IONIA, Samos. Circa 453/2-440/39 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 23 mm, 13.13 g, 9 h), CY 7 = 448/7. Lion's scalp facing. Rev. ΣΑ Forepart of an ox to right; behind, olive branch; in lower right field, Z (date). Barron Class VII, 80 (A36/P80). HGC 6, 1190. Struck from a somewhat worn obverse die, otherwise, very fine.


The mid-5th century coinage from Samos is among the earliest known coinages to carry numeral dates, namely CY 1-15 = 453/2-440/39 BC. Barron suggested that the Samian civic era counted the years from the return of oligarchic Samian exiles from Zankle in Sicily, but this has been questioned, and we currently do not know what prompted the introduction of a civic era in 453/2 BC, and why it was abandoned - at least on the island's coinage - fifteen years later.