Remarkable discovery of coins dating from the 8th century BC
This article has been published on the occasion of the April Fool's Day in 2023. All the photographies have been created using the AI Midjourney.
Historians and numismatists all over the world are in turmoil!
A brand-new discovery is set to revolutionize the world of numismatics!
Although historians do not always agree on the origin of the very first coins, it is generally accepted that their appearance dates to the 7th or 6th century BC, probably in Lydia.
Photo: Archaeological excavations, city of Akanthos, Leukonissos – March 2023
A recent discovery has now thrown all that into question!
On March 22, 2023, archaeological excavations on the tiny deserted island with the darling name of Leukonissos (λευκονῆσος), literally “the white island”, situated to the south of Lycia and southeast of the island of Rhodes, discovered three silver coins thought to have been minted on the same island in the 8th century BC.
That is at least a full century earlier than the Lydian kings.
The ancient ruins on the island have guarded their secrets closely until now, but it would appear that they are those – if we believe the coins – of a previously unknown city by the name of Akanthos (ἄκανθος).
The name likely refers to the nymph Acantha, who spurned the advances of Apollo.
These three small coins were found in a miraculously intact pyxis (a round vessel with a flat bottom and a lid usually used for storing cosmetics and trinkets).
Photo above: Pyxis in which the coins were discovered, archaeological excavations, city of Akanthos, Leukonissos – March 2023
The motif on the obverse is certainly an...acanthus leaf. The floral symbol is quite unusual (if we think of the tuna of Cyzicus, the tortoise of Aegina, and plenty more).
We can also see (a true rarity) inscriptions, which do not feature on the Lydian coins and other coins of the ancient period.
Magnificently preserved, they have thus stolen the crown from the Alyattes lions and their electrum coins.
Here is the first photo of these exceptional coins, sent exclusively to our experts by one of the archaeologists on site.
Photo above: First coin discovered, archaeological excavations, city of Akanthos, Leukonissos – March 2023
One of these coins will be available in presale exclusively on the NumisCorner website in just a few months. If you are interested in acquiring this masterpiece, all you have to do is click the link below.
