Skythia. Tyras. Circa 330-310 BC. Drachm (Silver, 18 mm, 5.62 g, 3 h). Veiled head of Demeter facing, turned slightly to left and with a wreath of grain on top of her head. Rev. ΤΥΡΑΝΟΝ Bull butting to left, his head lowered and partially facing; below, ΝΕΥ. Anokhin 16. SNG BM Black Sea –. SNG Pushkin –. SNG Stancomb –. Zograph, Tyra, -. Extremely rare, only some 7 examples of this variety are known, of which 4 are in museums. Lightly toned and with a head of Demeter of good style and in high relief. Some die rust and minor porosity, otherwise, very fine.
From a European collection.
Tyras was a Greek Black Sea colony, founded by Miletos c. 600 BC, near the mouth of the eponymous river, now the Dneister. In Roman times it produced coins from the time of Domitian through that of Severus Alexander. Later, the site became part of the great Medieval fortress of Maurokastron; still later, after its capture by the forces of Bayezid II, it became the Ottoman bastion of Akkerman.