Eretrian Drachm

The Eretrian drachm features a cow on its obverse, a design that nods to the island's livestock trade and perhaps a local cult of Hera.

That bovine motif, struck in silver, made these coins practical for trade across the Aegean, especially during Eretria's rivalry with Athens. The reverse typically shows a simple incuse square, a holdover from earlier minting techniques. We know these were produced from around 500 BC until Eretria's decline in 146 BC, but exact dates for individual issues remain murky due to lost records.

While some speculate about the cow's symbolic weight—maybe it honored a victory or deity—the truth is, we don't have the inscriptions to confirm. Minting likely occurred in Eretria itself, using local silver sources.

Plenty of these turn up in hoards, but fakes abound, so handle with care.