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Stater
| Issuer | Kyzikos |
|---|---|
| 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 | Log in to see details |
| 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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| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Greenwell#56, Von Fritze#152, SNG France#291 |
| Obverse description | Bust of Attis in right profile, wearing a characteristic Phrygian cap (pilos), rendered in fine archaic style. The facial features are depicted with careful attention to detail typical of Kyzikene engraving. A tunny fish (tuna), the civic badge of Kyzikos, is positioned beneath the bust, oriented to the right. The entire design is executed in high relief against an irregular flan, characteristic of the Kyzikene electrum series. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Kyzikos dominated electrum coinage in the Greek world for roughly two centuries, and the city's staters circulated far beyond Mysia — they functioned as a de facto international trading currency across the Black Sea and Aegean. The natural electrum sourced from the region had a relatively consistent gold-silver ratio, which gave Kyzikenoi a reputation for reliability that most poleis simply couldn't match with their own issues.
The Greenwell and Von Fritze references place this piece within a tightly catalogued typological sequence, but individual dies were used for small runs, making exact parallels uncommon.