IONIA. Magnesia ad Maeandrum. Circa 130-120 BC. Stater (Gold, 18 mm, 8.38 g, 12 h), Euphemos, son of Pausanias, magistrate. Draped bust of Artemis to right, wearing stephane and pendant earring and with her quiver and bow over her shoulder. Rev. MAΓNHTΩ[N] - EYΦHMOΣ / ΠAYΣANI[OY] Nike driving fast biga to right, holding whip in her right hand and reins in her left. Ellis-Evans, Magnesia, pp. 296-304. Leu 1 (2017), 82 (same dies). Leu Web Auction 18 (2021), 1143 (same dies). Fresh and attractive. Struck from the usual somewhat worn obverse die, otherwise, good very fine.



Ellis-Evans' invaluable recent publication of the Magnesian wreathed tetradrachms and the recently surfaced Magnesian gold staters has closed an important gap in the treatment of the western Asia Minor civic precious metal coinage. Most importantly, she also shed light on a series of doubtful staters that emerged alongside the authentic ones. They can be differentiated from the genuine examples such as this one and the following coin by a number of subtle differences in the dies, most notably the appearance of a second line on Artemis' diadem, a slightly altered ending of her bow, and various minor details on the reverse.