Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 125 23-24 Jun 2021
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Mysia, Cyzicus.
Stater circa 450-400, EL 16.05 g. Head of Athena facing three-quarters r. with triple-crested Attic helmet, hair in heavy, twisted locks on either side of the head; below, tunny r. Rev. Quadripartite incuse square. von Fritze 133 and pl. IV, 19. Boston, MFA 1503. SNG France 285.
Extremely rare and in an exceptional state of preservation for the issue. A very impressive
portrait perfectly struck in high relief on a full flan. Good extremely fine
By the late sixth century BC, the Greek world had largely abandoned the use of electrum-an alloy of gold and silver that may have been first found naturally in the Pactolus River of Lydia-in favor of parted silver and gold for their precious metal coinages. Nevertheless, even after this a few cities on the coast of Asia Minor, including Cyzicus, Mytilene, and Phocaea, continued to produce electrum staters and fractions down to the fourth century BC, apparently because this alloy was favored for trade along the coasts of the Black Sea. Indeed, a fourth-century BC inscription from Olbia still survives in which exchange rate is given for Cyzicene staters in terms of Olbian silver drachms. The present electrum stater is remarkable not only for its great rarity and perfectly struck obverse, but for its treatment of its subject matter. The obverse features Athena wearing a triple-crested helmet. While Athena was a fairly ubiquitous goddess for Greek coinage, the decision to depict her facing and turned slightly to the left is a radical departure. This issue is normally dated broadly to the second half of the fifth century BC, but the facing Athena may suggest that it was struck at the end of this period, or perhaps at the beginning of the fourth century. The celebrated facing Athena type of Syracuse was engraved by Eukleidas in ca. 405-400 BC and went on to inspire similar types throughout the Greek world over the course of the fourth century BC. If we presume that the Eukleidas type has influenced this Cyzicene issue then it must have been struck later than 450-400 BC. On the other hand, if Eukleidas' Athena has not influenced the Cyzicene type-and there are very clear differences in the treatment of the hair and the eyes-then it may be that the latter precedes the former, in which case this Cyzicene type may be the earliest representation of a facing Athena on a Greek coin.
Stater circa 450-400, EL 16.05 g. Head of Athena facing three-quarters r. with triple-crested Attic helmet, hair in heavy, twisted locks on either side of the head; below, tunny r. Rev. Quadripartite incuse square. von Fritze 133 and pl. IV, 19. Boston, MFA 1503. SNG France 285.
Extremely rare and in an exceptional state of preservation for the issue. A very impressive
portrait perfectly struck in high relief on a full flan. Good extremely fine
By the late sixth century BC, the Greek world had largely abandoned the use of electrum-an alloy of gold and silver that may have been first found naturally in the Pactolus River of Lydia-in favor of parted silver and gold for their precious metal coinages. Nevertheless, even after this a few cities on the coast of Asia Minor, including Cyzicus, Mytilene, and Phocaea, continued to produce electrum staters and fractions down to the fourth century BC, apparently because this alloy was favored for trade along the coasts of the Black Sea. Indeed, a fourth-century BC inscription from Olbia still survives in which exchange rate is given for Cyzicene staters in terms of Olbian silver drachms. The present electrum stater is remarkable not only for its great rarity and perfectly struck obverse, but for its treatment of its subject matter. The obverse features Athena wearing a triple-crested helmet. While Athena was a fairly ubiquitous goddess for Greek coinage, the decision to depict her facing and turned slightly to the left is a radical departure. This issue is normally dated broadly to the second half of the fifth century BC, but the facing Athena may suggest that it was struck at the end of this period, or perhaps at the beginning of the fourth century. The celebrated facing Athena type of Syracuse was engraved by Eukleidas in ca. 405-400 BC and went on to inspire similar types throughout the Greek world over the course of the fourth century BC. If we presume that the Eukleidas type has influenced this Cyzicene issue then it must have been struck later than 450-400 BC. On the other hand, if Eukleidas' Athena has not influenced the Cyzicene type-and there are very clear differences in the treatment of the hair and the eyes-then it may be that the latter precedes the former, in which case this Cyzicene type may be the earliest representation of a facing Athena on a Greek coin.