Hemidrachm

Methymna was the second city of Lesbos, perpetually overshadowed by Mytilene yet distinct enough in its civic identity to maintain an independent coinage well into the fourth century. The city sided with Athens during the Peloponnesian War — notably refusing to join the Mytilenean revolt of 428 BC — a loyalty that bought it continued autonomy while its neighbor suffered the consequences of defection.

HGC 6, 898 is among the scarcer autonomous issues from the northern Aegean island mints, with surviving specimens turning up almost exclusively in Turkish hoard material.