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Hemiobol
| Issuer | Kyzikos (Mysia) |
|---|---|
| Year | 450 BC - 400 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 0.37 g |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Log in to see details |
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| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Head of a roaring lion facing left, depicted with open jaws, prominent mane rendered in radiating lines, and a deeply expressive treatment characteristic of Archaic Greek die-cutting. The design is set within a shallow incuse square, the standard reverse treatment for electrum and silver fractions of Kyzikos during this period. The incuse square exhibits a slightly granular or striated border. No legend is present. The overall composition fills the incuse field with confident artistry typical of fifth-century Mysian coinage. |
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| Edge | Log in to see details |
| Mint | Kyzikos |
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| Additional information |
Kyzikos was among the most commercially active mints on the Propontis, and its fractional silver — particularly the tiny hemiobols — circulated as the working currency of a port economy that handled grain, fish, and slaves moving between the Black Sea and the Aegean. The tuna that appears on so many Kyzikene issues was no decorative choice: the city's wealth was built substantially on the seasonal bluefin migration through the straits, which it taxed and processed for export across the Greek world.
At 0.37g, attrition and loss rates for pieces this size were extraordinary, which explains the relative difficulty in locating examples with full flans despite the city's prolific output across this period.