Ionia. Phokaia circa 625-520 BC.
1/24 Stater EL. Phokaian Standard

7 mm, 0,64 g

Head of a griffin to right with open jaws / Quadripartite incuse square.

Nearly Extremely Fine

Bodenstedt 1; SNG von Aulock 1794 (as 'uncertain Ionian')

When coinage first began to be struck in electrum its issuers almost immediately produced coins of all sizes in order to facilitate its use in as many situations as possible. While a stater weighing over 16 g could only be useful for major purchases, very small denominations, like this one weighing only 0.64 g, would be fine for relatively small acquisitions (though it was still rather valuable - only when silver of the same or lower sizes began to be issued could really small purchases be made with coins).