Achaemenid Empire, Gold Daric, XF 3/5 4/5

Achaemenid Empire, Darius I to Xerxes II, gold Daric, Sardis, present day Turkey, 5^th century BC, king or hero in kneeling/running stance right, rev. incuse punch, 8.34g (Carradice Type IIIB). NGC XF 3/5 4/5.

NGC Certification 8521703-013

This gold Daric was minted at Sardis during the Achaemenid Persian Empire, a powerful empire that ruled much of the ancient Near East from the sixth to fourth centuries BC. The Daric was one of the empire's most important gold coins and is traditionally associated with King Darius I, who ruled from 522 to 486 BC. It continued to be produced under later Persian kings, including Xerxes I and Xerxes II. The coin features the famous image of the Persian king or royal warrior, shown holding a spear. This powerful design represented the strength, authority, and military power of the Persian monarchy. The high-quality gold used for Darics also made them valuable for international trade, paying soldiers, and displaying the wealth of the Persian state. Sardis, in western Anatolia (modern-day Turkey), was an important administrative and economic centre of the Achaemenid Empire. It was particularly significant because the Lydian kingdom, famous for developing some of the earliest coinage, had previously made Sardis a major centre for money production. The Daric therefore represents more than just currency. It reflects the wealth, organisation, military strength, and extensive trade networks of the Achaemenid Empire, one of the greatest empires of the ancient world.