Kyzikos (BC 500-450) EL 1/12 Stater

ca 500-450 BC. EL Hemihekte (1.29g, 8mm). Prow of galley left terminating in forepart of winged hound or wolf; below, tunny left / Quadripartite incuse square. VF. Rare denomination for this type with only one other known - Gemini IX (1/2012), lot 103. Unpublished in standard references. Carr coll.

William Greenwell, in his 1887 tome entitled "The electrum coinage of Cyzicus," notes only a stater of this type and offers the following speculation: "The expedition of the Argonauts plays an important part in the mythical history of Cyzicus, and the prow represented on the stater is probably that of the ship Argo" (pp. 124-125). See also Coin ID #13239 for a hekte.