Speaker
Description
In the 4th century BC, a large number of silver fractions were issued in southern Asia Minor to meet an apparently growing demand for small change in the region. Among them are obols from the Lycaonian hinterland, which can be attributed to the mint of Laranda (today Karaman). These coins have a specific reverse motif in common: the forepart of a wolf. The most frequent obverse type shows Baaltars, which links – at least iconographically – to Cilicia.
The die quality and the shape of flans differ significantly, which indicates extensive issue(s). Hoards and coin finds would be an important source for questions about the circulation pattern and economic function, but the lack of information on finds and find contexts requires a different approach: a die study is expected to furnish further insights into the minting process, the extent and duration of the issue, and probably also on a wider currency area.
