Lot 726

Description

Mysia, Cyzicus, second period, (550 - 475 B.C.), electrum stater on Phocaic standard (16.0 grams), obv. youthful male figure (Taras) naked riding left on dolphin, below tunny fish to left, rev. quadripartite incuse punch mark (cf S. 3829, Von Fritze 142, Boston 1486, Greenwell 9 [Pl.I, 9], BMC 76, [Pl.VII, 4]). Off centred nearly very fine and rare.

The type, a figure of Taras, son of Poseidon, is almost identical with the well-known one of the Calabrian Tarentine didrachms or nomos, from which it differs only in having the tunny in addition. This coin like a number of other electrum issues from Cyzicus are essentially copies of a subject occurring on the coinage of another city state.