This gold stater was issued during the reign of King Croesus of Lydia, one of the most famous rulers of the ancient world and a symbol of immense wealth. The coin features a confronting lion and bull, a powerful Near Eastern motif representing royal authority, strength, and cosmic balance. Coins of Croesus are historically significant as the first true bimetallic coinage system, struck in separate issues of refined gold and silver rather than electrum. This innovation marked a major milestone in monetary history and laid the foundation for standardized coinage throughout the Greek and Persian worlds.

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