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Orbis Collectibles

Sinope, bronze coin — Perseus standing facing holding Medusa‘s head and harpa (CN type 24483)

DocumentedSupported by at least one credible specialist source.

Record status

Individual type · research required

Period

90–85 BC

Issuing entity

Sinope

Coin in bronze struck at Sinope, dated 90–85 BC. Corpus Nummorum, the online type corpus of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, records it as CN type 24483 (period: Hellenistic Period; issuing authority type: city).

Obverse: Head of Athena, right, wearing helmet. Reverse: Perseus standing facing holding Medusa‘s head and harpa; at feet the winged body of Medusa. Legend: ΣΙΝΩΠΗΣ. Measured specimens give a mean weight of 18.6 g (mean of 5 recorded specimens) and a diameter of 28–31.2 mm (from 5 recorded specimens). Published references cited by the corpus: Price, Sylloge nummorum Graecorum 9 The British Museum 1. The Black Sea, 1993, nr. 1531-1533; Dalaison, Sylloge nummorum Graecorum. France 7. Département des monnaies, médailles et antiques. Paphlagonie, Pont et Arménie Mineure., Bordeaux 2015, nr. 577.

Evidence at a glance

Linked sources
4
Photograph views
1
Catalogue references
2

Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.

Historical context

Sinope, modern Sinop, is situated on the Boztepe Peninsula and the isthmus of İnce Burun near Cape Sinope, along the Black Sea coast in the ancient region of Paphlagonia. Functioning as an issuing city authority during the Hellenistic Period, Sinope struck this civic bronze coinage between 90 and 85 BC.

Physical characteristics

Material
bronze
Recorded diameter
28–31.2 mm (from 5 recorded specimens)
Recorded mean weight
18.6 g (mean of 5 recorded specimens)

Technical characteristics

Mint
Sinope
Authority type
City

Design

Obverse type
Head of Athena, right, wearing helmet.
Reverse type
Perseus standing facing holding Medusa‘s head and harpa; at feet the winged body of Medusa
Reverse legend
ΣΙΝΩΠΗΣ

Identification

Period
Hellenistic Period
How to identify
Check the mint name or ethnic, the reverse type and the legend together, then compare weight and module; types from the same mint often differ only in legend arrangement, magistrate names or control marks.
Type corpus record
https://www.corpus-nummorum.eu/types/24483
Type corpus identifier
CN type 24483

Documentation checklist

Denomination
Research required
Issue or mint date
Recorded
Material
Recorded
Weight
Recorded
Mint or printer
Recorded
Mint or printer mark
Research required
Catalogue reference
Recorded
Attached photograph (check rights)
Recorded

Recorded means a field is present, not independently verified. Read its wording, supporting source and the entry’s confidence level.

Catalogue references

Research required

  • Photograph reuse terms to be confirmed with the holding institution
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