The stater was an ancient coin used in various regions of Greece. The term is also used for similar coins, imitating Greek staters, minted elsewhere in ancient Europe.
An early Archaic silver stater from Corinth, 555–515 BC. Obverse: Pegasus flying left, koppa below. Reverse: quadripartite incuse
Silver stater from Delphi, 338/6–334/3 BC. Obverse: head of Demeter left, wearing grain-ear wreath and veil. Reverse: Apollo seated left on omphalos, tripod to left, ΑΜΦΙΚΤΙΟΝΩΝ around.
Gold 20-stater of the Greco-Bactrian king Eucratides I (c. 160 BC), the largest gold coin ever minted in Antiquity. The coin weighs 169.2 g (5.44 ozt), and has a diameter of 58 mm (2.3 in).
A Celtic stater made from billon alloy found in Armorica
Electrum is a naturally occurring alloy of gold and silver, with trace amounts of copper and other metals. Its color ranges from pale to bright yellow, depending on the proportions of gold and silver. It has been produced artificially and is also known as "green gold".
Natural electrum "wires" on quartz, historic specimen from the old Smuggler-Union Mine, Telluride, Colorado, USA
The Pactolus river, from which Lydia obtained electrum for its early coinage
Electrum Phoenician bowl with mythological scenes, a sphinx frieze and the representation of a king vanquishing his enemies, Cypro-Archaic I, from Idalion, 8th–7th centuries BC (Louvre, Paris)
Brooch with a griffin protome, from the necropolis of Kameiros, Rhodes, c. 625–600 BC (Louvre)
