The stater was a prominent coin in ancient Greek and later in Roman and other Mediterranean cultures, originating in the 6th century BCE. The term “stater” itself is derived from the Greek word στάτηρ (státēr), which means “standard,” reflecting the coin’s role as a standard unit of currency across the Greek world.

The first staters were likely made of electrum, a naturally occurring alloy of gold and silver, which was used in coins minted by the Lydians, a civilization in what is now modern-day Turkey. The Lydian stater is widely considered the first true coin, struck during the reign of King Croesus in the 6th century BCE. These early coins, although not yet widely standardized, were a significant advancement in the use of currency for trade and the economy. The Lydian stater was followed by the adoption of the stater by Greek city-states, who began to mint their own versions in silver, and later gold, as the use of coinage spread throughout the Mediterranean.