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Hemiobol
| Issuer | Kyzikos |
|---|---|
| Year | 580 BC - 550 BC |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | A tunny fish swimming to the left occupies the central field of this archaic hemiobol, rendered in low relief with characteristic stylized simplicity. The body of the fish is elongated and torpedo-shaped, with a clearly delineated eye and forked tail fin. A lotus flower appears in the lower field beneath the tunny, serving as the civic badge of Kyzikos. The flan is irregular and slightly convex, typical of early electrum and silver coinage from this mint. No legend or inscription is present, the design relying entirely on iconographic convention to identify the issuing authority. |
|---|---|
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Kyzikos sat on the southern shore of the Propontis at a chokepoint through which nearly all Black Sea trade was funneled, and its mint exploited that position aggressively. The city issued coinage in an unusually wide range of denominations compared to most Archaic Greek mints, with the hemiobol representing the smallest practical unit for daily market exchange. Von Fritze's classification of this type places it among the earliest silver issues from the mint, predating the city's more famous electrum staters that would eventually dominate regional commerce.