Nomos 7

MYSIA, Kyzikos. 5th-4th century BC. Stater (Electrum, 16.13 g), c. 380 BC. Head of bearded Pan to left, with goat’s ear and ivy wreath; below truncation, tunny fish to left. Rev. Quadripartite incuse square. BMFA 1564. Gulbenkian 662-664. SNG Paris 330. Von Fritze 191. Very attractively toned and of splendid late classical style. About extremely fine.

From the Spina Collection, from the Outstanding Collection, Leu 81, 16 May 2001, 250 and from the collections of N. B. Hunt, Sotheby’s New York, 21 June 1990, 464 and of S. Weintraub.

This magnificent head is immediately reminiscent of those that appeared on the first staters of Pantikapaion, thus making the likelihood that it represents Pan almost certain (it has long been given the generic term ‘Silenos’). The close relations between Kyzikos and Pantikapaion would have made Kyzikene issues quite familiar to everyone in the Crimean city. We can be almost certain that this coin helped to inspire the slightly later gold issues of Pantikapaion that bore virtually the same head.