Kyzikos (BC 404-394) Tridrachm

ca 404-394 BC. AR Tridrachm (11.41g, 21mm, 6h). Herakliskos Drakonopnigon: the Infant Herakles crouching right, strangling a serpent coiled around each arm; Σ-Y-[N] around / Head of lion left; below, tunny left; KY-ZI around; all within shallow incuse circle. Near EF, old collection tone, slightly off center, some marks on the reverse. Extremely rare, only BM example known for this symmachy issue at Kyzikos. MPM coll., acquired in 1928.

The British Museum acquired the only known example of this type from a dealer in Rhodes in 1927 (cf. N. Hardwick in QT XXV [1996]), as part of a group of four coins that had been found together. As the present coin was acquired by the consignor’s grandfather in 1928, it is possible that it was part of the same find that contained the BM coin. A comparison of color photographs of the two coins reveals a similar surface appearance that is consistent with coins from a common hoard.