TYPE Ancient Greece, Metapontion (Lucania), 510-480 BC, silver (fourree?) stater, 7.16g DESCRIPTION . Obv: Ear of barley Rev: Ear of barley in incuse REFERENCE: SG 238v, BMC 27v GRADING: F+, toned, reverse corrosion damage ORDER INFO: G2598, $155 An interesting Archaic issue from this southern Italian locale, famous in ancient times for the fertility of its land, which made the ear of barley its city-badge, typical on coinage. It was also the residence and final resting place of the famous Greek philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras, who was, among other things, credited also with promoting the convex-concave coins with mirror-image similar designs on each side, present on this coin. Separately, slightly puzzling metal composition, with reverse surface lamination in ringlike pattern, revealing core of apparently base silver, giving a somewhat fourree-like appearance. The overall weight, though below the nominal 8.1g stater standard, is not far off given the obvious wear, leaving the question open.