TYPE Ancient Greece, Lesbos, mid-6th BC, billon-silver tenth? stater, 0.62g DESCRIPTION . Obv: Confronted boars heads (forming also facing panther image) Rev: Incuse square with 4 parts REFERENCE: SG 3488v, Ros 544v GRADING: VF / AVF, some crystallization and toning, scarce type and size ORDER INFO: G2051, $98 The earliest, archaic coinage of the island, not attributed to any city, though possibly from Mytilene. Although the metal is considered billon in catalogs, i.e. low-grade silver, it more resembles decent archaic silver than later billon issues of Rome and Byzantium with minimal precious metal content. The two confronted boars heads that form also a facing panther image is an interesting example of early ancient optical illusions. The signs between the heads vary, and on some issues include the elusive Greek "LE" designation of the island. This design is tentatively associated in Sear with a "tenth stater", but the present specimen is only half of that weight (and of the others we list here), though it clearly shares the design.