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W
ONDERFUL
K
ALCHEDON
S
ILVER
T
ETRADRACHM
CA
. 367/6-340 BC
Enlargement
1844
Bithynia, Kalchedon. Silver Tetradrachm (15.12 g), ca. 367/6-340 BC
.
ΚΑΛΧ
, bull standing left on grain ear; in lower left field,
monogram.
Reverse:
Quadripartite incuse square with stippled recesses. SNG BM 93-9; RG 14. Lovely cabinet toning. Rarely seen this choice.
Superb Extremely Fine
.
Estimated Value ............................................................................................................................................................... $2,500 - 3,000
Ex Prospero Collection (NYS, 4 January 2012), 433, and noted as having been purchased privately from Spink & Son Ltd., London, on 4 June
1989
.
Enlargement
1845
Mysia, Kyzikos. Ca. 600-550 BC. Electrum 1/24 Stater (0.54g)
. Tunny' s head left, mouth open, teeth visible.
Reverse:
Incuse. Von
Fritze-; Cf. Rosen 414.
Extremely Fine
.
Estimated Value .....................................................................................................................................................................$500 - 600
Enlargement
1846
Mysia, Kyzikos. Electrum 1/24 Stater (0.64 g), 5th-4th centuries BC
. Perseus crouching right, head left, wearing cloak and winged
hat, holding harpa and head of Medusa; below, tunny left.
Reverse:
Quadripartite incuse square. Cf. Von Fritze I 162 (stater); SNG France
313.
Superb Extremely Fine
.
Situated adjacent to the mouth of the river Aisepos on the southwest shore of the Propontis, Kyzikos was purported to be the first in a long
line of Milesian colonies. The city possessed two fine harbors, both contributing greatly to its growth and prosperity. Traders plying the routes
between the Aegean and Black Seas often stopped at Kyzikos to load tunnies, a main export as the fish were plentiful in the waters there-
abouts.
The significance of the types on Kyzikos' electrum coinage of the 5th and 4th centuries BC often elude us. Unlike the types found on the coin-
age of other cities which nearly always reference some important aspect of the issuing city and are ripe with meaning, the many diverse types
found on Kyzikene coinage often have no apparent association to the cults, mythology or historical events of the city. The only consistent
image is the tunny, and nearly always as an adjunct to the main type and seemingly of secondary importance. Because of this and the volume
of trade transiting the borders, which of course affected nearly every aspect of life in the city, it has been suggested that the types perhaps
derived from designs on Greek vases and other artworks that circulated in trade throughout the area. This is an interesting hypothesis with
significant merit, and if correct would seem to be a phenomenon unique in Greek coinage.
Estimated Value ............................................................................................................................................................... $1,000 - 1,200