Tyra
[IACP 694]

Triton XVI, Lot: 68. Estimate $100. Sold for $180. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

SKYTHIA, Tyra. Circa 370-360 BC. Æ (13mm, 2.14 g, 1h). Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin / Bull standing right on club right; TYPA above. Anokhin 1; Zograph, Tyra 40; SNG BM Black Sea 348; SNG Pushkin –; SNG Stancomb –; Sutzu II –. Fine, rough brown patina. Very rare.

From the Alex Shubs Collection.

The origin and location of Tyra is not yet certain, but it appears to have been a Milesian colony founded in the sixth or fifth century BC. Although only called a polis in very late sources, its status as a polis in the 4th century BC is attested by its coinage, as well as its presence in the tribute list of the Delian League in 425/4 BC. Very little is known about the city today. Its coinage began in the second quarter of the 4th century BC, and consisted primarily of relatively small bronze issues down to Roman times. Nevertheless, there were two series of precious metal coinage, a relatively diverse issue of silver drachms in the mid-late 4th century BC, and a very rare issue of gold staters of Lysimachos type in the mid-3rd century. The quantity and diversity of the city’s issues were greatly increased in the Roman period, particularly in the second and early third centuries AD. Tyra’s last issues appear to have been struck during the reign of Severus Alexander.

From the Consignor: The absence of subsidiary letters and symbols (control marks) on the coins of Tyra suggest that its coinage was issued by a democratic city government. This is in contrast to the situation at Olbia, where many of the coin series bear such markings (see note on Lot 39, above). Only the period in which its silver coinage (Anokhin 7–18, and Lots 72–4, below) was struck do we see control marks that suggest the city’s government was temporarily under the control of an oligarchy.