ANCIENT GREECE - GREEK Lydia, Croesus (561-546 BC). Golden Statere or Creseid, light series ND (560-540 BC), Sardis. Av. Protomé of lion to right, mouth open, facing protomé of bull to left. Rv. Two hollow squares. SNG von Aulock 2875 ; Gold - 8,05 g - 12 mm - 12 h NGC VF 4/5 4/5 edge marks (8585316-009). The light series shows weights around 8 g. Test mark on the edge. Good centering with clear pattern. Light golden patina. TTB to Superb. Croesus was the first to mint pure gold coins. His kingdom was the last bastion against the westward expansion of the Persian Empire. Encouraged by a prediction from the Delphic oracle that he would destroy a great empire if he attacked it, he went to war against Cyrus the Great and was defeated. His numerically superior army was annihilated and Sardis, the capital, was taken by Cyrus. Croesus and his family were immolated on Cyrus' orders. Lydia became a satrapy of the Persian Empire but continued to mint coins. The legendary wealth of Croesus was used by Cyrus to mint a new Persian gold coin, the Daric.