IONIA. Miletos. Late 6th-early 5th century BC. Diobol (Subaeratus, 9 mm, 0.90 g), a contemporary plated imitation. Irregular mint. Forepart of a lion to right, head turned to left. Rev. Stellate design within incuse square. Cf. SNG Kayhan 476-82, SNG Keckman 273 and SNG von Aulock 2080 (for prototype). Large test cut and breaks in plating, otherwise, good fine.


Such early plated coins show that even small silver denominations were already vulnerable to fraud at an early date. That contemporaries were well aware of this is demonstrated by the test cut made by a wary owner on the obverse of our specimen, which broke through the plating and exposed the bronze core beneath.