In the ancient world, few creatures commanded more awe than the griffin. Half lion — king of the beasts — and half eagle — king of the birds — the griffin combined the two most powerful animals in nature into a single mythological guardian. It was said to nest in the mountains of the far north, to guard hoards of gold, and to serve as the mount of the gods themselves.
And two ancient Greek city-states — Abdera in Thrace and Teos in Ionia — chose it as the defining symbol of their coinage.
The Archaic Griffin Stater Greek Coin commemorates one of the most striking coin types of the archaic Greek world — a design that captures both the mythological power of the griffin and the raw, geometric beauty of the earliest Greek coinage techniques.
- What Was the Griffin?
- The Griffin in Ancient Greek Mythology and Religion
- Abdera and Teos — The Two Cities of the Griffin
- The Incuse Square — The Oldest Technique in Greek Coinage
- The Coin Itself — Griffin and Incuse Square
- The Griffin in the Wider World of Ancient Greek Coinage
- Collecting the Archaic Griffin Stater Today
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Was the Griffin?
The griffin — sometimes spelled gryphon — was one of the most ancient and widespread mythological creatures in the ancient world, appearing in the art and mythology of ancient Greece, Persia, Egypt, and the Near East. Its defining form combined the body, tail, and hind legs of a lion with the head, wings, and talons of an eagle.
This combination was deliberate and deeply symbolic. The lion was the king of the terrestrial world — the most powerful land predator, associated with strength, courage, and royal authority. The eagle was the king of the aerial world — the highest-flying bird, associated with divine vision, speed, and the favour of Zeus. Together, they created a creature that dominated both earth and sky, a guardian that nothing could escape and nothing could overcome.
The griffin — half lion, half eagle — one of the most powerful mythological guardians in the ancient world, depicted in the bold high-relief style of archaic Greek coinage.
The Griffin in Ancient Greek Mythology and Religion
In ancient Greek mythology, griffins were said to inhabit the mountains of the far north — the Hyperborean regions beyond the known world — where they guarded vast hoards of gold against the one-eyed Arimaspians who perpetually tried to steal it. The Greek historian Herodotus wrote about griffins as real creatures reported by travellers from the distant east.
Griffins were also associated with the divine. They were said to pull the chariot of Apollo, the sun god, and to serve as guardians of sacred spaces and divine treasures. Their image appeared on temple friezes, votive offerings, and luxury goods across the Greek world — a symbol of divine protection and the boundary between the mortal and immortal realms.
The griffin's role as a guardian made it a natural choice for coinage. A coin bearing a griffin declared that the city's wealth and authority were under divine protection — that the power of both lion and eagle stood behind every transaction made with its silver.
Abdera and Teos — The Two Cities of the Griffin
The griffin stater is most closely associated with two ancient Greek city-states: Abdera in Thrace (on the northern Aegean coast, in modern-day Greece) and Teos in Ionia (on the western coast of Asia Minor, in modern-day Turkey). Both cities used the griffin as their primary coin type, and their coins circulated widely across the Aegean world.
Abdera was founded as a colony — first by settlers from Clazomenae, then refounded by colonists from Teos — which explains why both cities shared the same civic symbol. When the people of Teos fled their city rather than submit to Persian rule in the early 5th century BC, many settled at Abdera, bringing their griffin emblem with them. The griffin thus became a symbol of shared identity, colonial heritage, and civic pride across two cities separated by the Aegean Sea.
Both Abdera and Teos were prosperous trading cities. Abdera sat at the crossroads of Aegean and Thracian trade routes; Teos was a major port on the Ionian coast. Their griffin coins circulated as trusted currency across the ancient Mediterranean — the griffin's image a guarantee of silver quality and civic authority.
The ancient Greek world of Abdera and Teos — two cities separated by the Aegean Sea that shared the griffin as their defining civic symbol.
The Incuse Square — The Oldest Technique in Greek Coinage
Turn the griffin stater over, and you encounter something that looks almost abstract by comparison: a quadripartite incuse square — four raised panels divided by a cross, pressed into the reverse of the coin.
This design is not decorative. It is functional — and it is one of the oldest features in the entire history of Greek coinage.
When the earliest Greek coins were struck in the 6th century BC, the technology for creating figural designs on both sides of a coin did not yet exist. The obverse die — bearing the city's symbol — was engraved and fixed in an anvil. The blank coin was placed on top. A punch was then hammered into the reverse to drive the metal into the obverse die and create the relief image. That punch left its mark: the incuse square.
Over time, coin engravers began to divide the incuse square into sections, then to add patterns within those sections, and eventually to replace it entirely with figural designs. The quadripartite incuse square on the griffin stater represents an early stage in this evolution — a moment when Greek coinage was transitioning from raw geometry to the masterful figural art that would define classical numismatics.
To hold a coin with an incuse square reverse is to hold a piece of the very origins of coined money.
The Coin Itself — Griffin and Incuse Square
The obverse of the griffin stater is one of the most dynamic images in archaic Greek coinage. The griffin rears powerfully — wings spread, serpentine neck arched, talons raised — rendered in the bold, high-relief style of early classical die-cutting. Greek letters in the field identify the issuing city. The composition is immediate and commanding: this is a creature of divine authority, and the city that minted this coin stands under its protection.
The reverse incuse square, by contrast, is all geometry and texture — four raised panels catching the light differently, the cross dividing them with mathematical precision. It is a reminder that this coin was struck at a moment when the art of coinage was still being invented.
Our Archaic Griffin Stater collectible replica captures both sides of this design in antique silver patina — struck in copper with an aged finish that captures the worn, tactile quality of a genuine archaic find.
The Griffin in the Wider World of Ancient Greek Coinage
The griffin stater sits within a rich tradition of ancient Greek civic coinage where mythological creatures defined a city's identity and authority. The Chimaera of Sicyon — explored in our article on the Chimaera and Dove coin — declared the heroic heritage of the Peloponnese. The bee of Ephesus — covered in our piece on the ancient Ephesus bee coin — represented six centuries of civic continuity and religious devotion.
What unites all of these coins is the same principle: that a small stamped disc could carry an entire civilisation's values, beliefs, and mythological identity across the ancient world. The griffin, like the Chimaera and the bee, was instantly recognisable to merchants, soldiers, and travellers from the Black Sea to the Nile.
You can explore the full range of ancient Greek coin designs in our Ancient Coins collection.
Collecting the Archaic Griffin Stater Today
Authentic archaic griffin staters from Abdera and Teos — when they appear at auction — are among the most prized coins in ancient numismatics. Well-struck examples with clear griffin relief and intact incuse squares command significant prices, and genuine pieces in collector-grade condition are rare outside specialist holdings.
Our Archaic Griffin Stater collectible replica offers collectors a way to engage with this history directly — to hold a design that circulated across the ancient Aegean, to study the transition from archaic geometry to classical figural art, and to display one of antiquity's most powerful mythological guardians.
Add one to your collection — free worldwide shipping.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a griffin in Greek mythology?
The griffin was a mythological creature combining the body, tail, and hind legs of a lion with the head, wings, and talons of an eagle. It was associated with divine guardianship, the protection of gold and sacred treasures, and the favour of the gods — particularly Apollo. Griffins appeared widely in ancient Greek, Persian, and Near Eastern art and mythology.
Which ancient Greek cities used the griffin on their coins?
The griffin stater is most closely associated with Abdera in Thrace and Teos in Ionia. Both cities shared colonial heritage — Abdera was refounded by settlers from Teos — which explains why they shared the same civic symbol. Their griffin coins circulated widely across the ancient Aegean as trusted silver currency.
What is an incuse square on an ancient coin?
The incuse square is the mark left by the punch used to strike early Greek coins. Before figural reverse dies were developed, a punch was hammered into the blank coin to drive the metal into the obverse die. Over time, engravers divided this square into sections — the quadripartite incuse square — before eventually replacing it with figural designs. It is one of the oldest features in the history of Greek coinage.
What is a stater in ancient Greek coinage?
A stater was a standard denomination in ancient Greek coinage, typically a large silver coin used for significant transactions and trade. The griffin stater of Abdera and Teos was one of the most widely recognised stater types in the archaic and early classical periods, circulating across the Aegean world as trusted silver currency.
What is the difference between archaic and classical Greek coinage?
Archaic Greek coinage (roughly 600–480 BC) is characterised by bold, somewhat stylised figural designs on the obverse and incuse square reverses. Classical Greek coinage (480–323 BC) saw the development of increasingly naturalistic portraiture, figural reverse designs, and the refined artistic style that produced masterpieces like the Athenian owl tetradrachm. The griffin stater spans this transition.
Is the One More Coin Griffin Stater an authentic ancient coin?
No. Our Archaic Griffin Stater is a modern commemorative replica inspired by the original ancient coin designs of Abdera and Teos. It is not issued by a government mint, not legal tender, and not an investment product. It is produced as a collectible for display and hobby collecting purposes.
Because every collection deserves one more coin.
