Nomos 25

CIMMERIAN BOSPOROS. Pantikapaion. Circa 340-325 BC. Stater (Gold, 19.5 mm, 9.14 g, 11 h). Head of Pan to left, wearing a wreath of ivy. Rev. Π-Α-Ν Griffin standing on grain ear to left, his head facing front, holding a spear in his mouth and with his right forepaw raised. Anokhin 1021. HGC 7, 20. Kraay & Hirmer 440. MacDonald 54. SNG BM Black Sea 867. Virtually as struck.

Pantikapaion was founded by Milesian colonists c. 575 BC on the western shore of the Cimmerian Bosporos. It prospered greatly from its involvement in the Euxine grain trade, where it served as a collection and dispersal center for Crimean grain as it made its way to markets in the Aegean. Because of this, the community grew very wealthy, enabling it to support both an extensive and highly varied silver coinage as well as beautiful gold issues, struck on the Bosporan standard of c. 9.1 g, of which this splendid coin is a wonderful example. The head of bearded Pan on the obverse, crowned with a wreath of ivy, is a punning allusion to the city's name, while the fearsome horned griffin on the reverse was the protector of its wealth.