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Obol
| Issuer | Kyzikos |
|---|---|
| Year | 550 BC - 500 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Obol (⅙) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Forepart of an eagle presented in right profile, rendered in archaic Greek style with bold, simplified relief. The bird grasps a tunny fish firmly in its beak, a device emblematic of the coinage of Kyzikos, reflecting the city's close association with the tunny-fishing trade of the Propontis. The design is contained within the irregular flan, with the eagle's plumage suggested by incised lines. The field is plain, with no legend or inscription, consistent with early electrum and silver coinage of the region. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Kyzikos, the Propontine city on the southern shore of the sea of Marmara, was one of the ancient world's most active minting centers, best known for its prolific electrum staters. The silver fractions — of which this obol is among the smallest — served local exchange where electrum denominations were simply too valuable for everyday transaction.
The tunny fish appears as a persistent reverse type on Kyzikene silver fractions throughout this period, reflecting the city's dependence on the seasonal Black Sea tuna migrations through the Propontis straits.