Achaemenid Empire Silver Siglos – 5th Century BC – First Persian Empire – NGC Certified

Own a certified silver siglos from the Achaemenid Empire, also known as the First Persian Empire, struck during the 5th century BC and authenticated in an NGC-certified slab. This coin is a powerful relic of one of the greatest empires of antiquity—an empire that stretched from the Indus Valley to the Aegean Sea at its height.

Founded by Cyrus the Great in the 6th century BC, the Achaemenid dynasty included legendary rulers such as Darius I (Darius the Great) and Xerxes I, who famously invaded Greece during the Greco-Persian Wars. Two of history’s most iconic battles—Marathon (490 BC) and Thermopylae (480 BC)—were fought during this era, defining the clash between East and West and leaving an indelible mark on classical history.

The obverse of the silver siglos features a heroic Persian king or warrior in dynamic stride, wielding a bow and dagger, symbolizing divine kingship and military might. The reverse bears the classic incuse punch, a hallmark of early Persian coinage. Unlike the portrait-driven coins of Greek city-states, Persian coins emphasized imperial authority through stylized, almost timeless imagery.

These coins circulated widely across the Achaemenid Empire and served both as instruments of commerce and as vehicles of imperial propaganda. The siglos is a foundational piece of ancient numismatics, valued for its historical weight and its place at the intersection of empire, warfare, and culture.

Certified by NGC, this silver siglos is a tangible link to the power and sophistication of Persia’s first great dynasty.