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                                Sale: Triton VIII, Lot: 372. Closing Date: Jan 
                                10, 2005. MYSIA, Kyzikos. Circa 334 BC. EL 
                                Stater (16.02 gm, 12h). Estimate $10000 Sold For 
                                $10000 

                              MYSIA, Kyzikos. Circa 334 BC. EL Stater (16.02 gm, 
                              12h). Eleutheria seated left on rock, holding 
                              wreath in right hand; tunny below, ELEU-QERI in 
                              two lines on rock / Quadripartite incuse square. 
                              Von Fritze I 215; Greenwell 3; Traité pl. CLXXIV, 
                              37; Boston MFA -; SNG France 345; BMC Mysia -; SNG 
                              Copenhagen -; SNG von Aulock -. Good VF, toned. 
                              Extremely rare. ($10,000)

                              From the William and Louise Fielder Collection.

                              This specimen is perhaps the most historically 
                              important stater in the entire series as it is the 
                              only stater from Kyzikos to bear an inscription, 
                              and it is this 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

                              See lot 366 for more information on the electrum 
                              coinage of Kyzikos.








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