Kyzikos (BC 334) EL Stater

ca 334 BC. EL Stater (16.02g, 12h). Eleutheria seated left on rock, holding wreath in right hand; tunny below, ΕΛΕΥ-ΘΕΡΙ in two lines on rock / Quadripartite incuse square. Good VF, toned. Extremely rare. Fielder Coll.

This specimen bears an inscription, 'Eleutheria" (Freedom), that makes clear the intent of the type: to celebrate a liberation. Several different victories have been suggested, but the presence of a coin of this type in the Prinkipo Hoard, buried circa 334 BC, in conjunction with gold staters of Philip II, clearly suggests that the victory in question is Alexander's first defeat of the Persians at the river Granikos in 334 BC. The Granikos was located just to the south and west of Kyzikos, and Alexander's victory liberated Kyzikos from Persian control. Thus, not only is this a very rare stater from Kyzikos, it also represents the first coin struck as a direct result of Alexander's campaign to conquer the world, predating even Alexander's own coinage.