Lydian Kingdom Croesus, 561-546 BC. Gold Stater, heavy standard, circa 561-546 BC, Sardes. Forepart of lion right confronting forepart of bull left / Two incuse squares juxtaposed. 10,78g. BMC 30; Carradice pl. 10, 1; Gulbekian 756; Jameson 2313; Pozzi 2725. NGC Ch AU★ 5/5 5/5. (8808102-003). Rare and extremely fine. Provenance: Sotheby's Zurich (28 October 1993), 719. Croesus ruled Lydia from 561 to 546 BC and owed his extraordinary wealth to the river Pactolus, which flowed through his kingdom. The gold-bearing sands of this river allowed Croesus to astonish the entire Greek world. He displayed his immense fortune through lavish offerings and by financing the restoration of the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. The expression ‘rich as Croesus’ preserves the memory of this legendary abundance. Herodotus recounts a famous anecdote: Croesus, convinced that his vast riches guaranteed him the highest happiness, asked Solon who the happiest of men was. The Athenian sage replied that it was Tellus of Athens. Offended, Croesus protested, but Solon answered that ‘nothing is more common than misfortune in opulence, and happiness in modest circumstances.’ Indeed, considering Croesus’ fate, it is difficult to claim he was the happiest of men. Defeated by Cyrus, he was captured and condemned to the pyre, though Herodotus relates that Apollo intervened and extinguished the flames with a sudden rain. At a time when coinage was still made of electrum, Croesus introduced bimetallism — a monetary system based on distinct gold and silver coins. This gold stater is a testament to that innovation, which would shape monetary history for more than twenty centuries.