Nomos AG
Auction 24 22 May 2022
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MYSIA. Kyzikos. Circa 500-450 BC. Stater (Electrum, 19 mm, 15.93 g). Nude youth riding dolphin to left, holding a tunny by the tail in his right hand; below, tunny left. Rev. Quadripartite incuse square. BMFA 1486. SNG Paris 251. Von Fritze I, 110 and pl.III, 29. Unusually clear and attractive, and well-centered. Good very fine.
From the Villiers Collection, and from a Swiss collection, Numismatica Ars Classica 120, 6 October 2020, 385 .
The obverse type of this stater is highly reminiscent of the earliest "boy on a dolphin" types of Tarentum. On those, the type is to right and rider simply outstretches his left hand and holds an octopus in his right; here, of course, the type moves to left so the rider's hands are the opposite - he holds a tunny in his right hand and lets his left fall behind him. Perhaps the Tarentine dolphin was so friendly that he didn't need to be tempted by something to eat in order to keep going, while our Kyzikene dolphin needed to be tempted!!
From the Villiers Collection, and from a Swiss collection, Numismatica Ars Classica 120, 6 October 2020, 385 .
The obverse type of this stater is highly reminiscent of the earliest "boy on a dolphin" types of Tarentum. On those, the type is to right and rider simply outstretches his left hand and holds an octopus in his right; here, of course, the type moves to left so the rider's hands are the opposite - he holds a tunny in his right hand and lets his left fall behind him. Perhaps the Tarentine dolphin was so friendly that he didn't need to be tempted by something to eat in order to keep going, while our Kyzikene dolphin needed to be tempted!!