Kingdom of Lydia, Croesus, Trite

Gold coins were mainly used for long-distance trade, presents and soldiers' pay in Antiquity, while silver coins were trading objects. Even so, this coin was not meant for shopping on the market. For everyday trade, copper or small silver coins were used. To that end there were tiny silver coins worth 1/96 of a stater in circulation.

The obverse depicts the typical motif of Croesus' coins, a lion and a bull. The reverse shows, as with all early coins, a 'Quadratum incusum', the crude impressions of the obverse die.