Drachm

Byzantion's drachms of this period were struck by a city whose geographic position — controlling the Bosphoros narrows — made it one of the wealthiest toll-collecting poleis in the Greek world. Every grain ship moving from the Black Sea toward Athens passed through waters Byzantion effectively taxed. That revenue funded the mint.

The city fell under Macedonian siege in 340 BC when Philip II attempted to cut off Athens' grain supply entirely, a campaign that ultimately failed when the Athenians sent relief and Byzantion held. The upper date boundary on this issue is not coincidental.