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Drachm
| Issuer | Sinope (Paphlagonia) |
|---|---|
| Year | 425 BC - 410 BC |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Aeginetic drachm |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Head of a sea-eagle facing left, rendered in high relief with bold, naturalistic striation detailing the plumage and hooked beak. The large circular eye is prominently modelled, conveying the characteristic raptor physiognomy associated with Sinopean coinage. Immediately below the eagle's head, a dolphin swims to the left, serving as a secondary type emblematic of the city's maritime identity. The design occupies a broad, roughly oval flan with no legend or border, consistent with the archaic and early classical coinage tradition of Paphlagonian Sinope. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse lettering | Γ |
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| Additional information |
Sinope was the dominant Greek colony on the Black Sea's southern coast and controlled substantial silver supplies routed through Pontic trade networks. The city's coinage circulated widely among merchants trading salted fish — Sinope's primary export commodity — alongside slaves and metals moving between Anatolia and the Greek mainland. The specific reverse die grouping referenced in HGC 7#388 reflects a period before the city fell under Persian satrapal pressure, when the mint operated with genuine civic autonomy.