Heritage World Coin Auctions
ANA Signature Sale 3041 Sess. 4 13 August 2015
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PARTHIAN KINGDOM. Phraates III (ca. 70-57 BC). AR drachm (20mm, 3.91 gm, 11h). Court mint, Rhagai. Diademed and draped bust of Phraates III facing, wearing necklace with medallion / BAΣIΛEΩΣ MEΓAΛOY APΣ-AKOY ΘEOΠATOPOΣ EVEPΓETOV EΠIΦANOVΣ ΦIΛEΛΛHNOΣ in seven lines around, archer seated right, holding bow; below bow, monogram. Sunrise 333 (same obverse die). Sellwood 35.13 (Darius?). Shore -. With a superb bust of great artistry, perfectly centered on a broad flan, and struck in good metal. Good Extremely Fine.As is the case with many Parthian rulers, little is known of the reign of Phraates III, save for his occasional contacts and exchanges of correspondence with the Roman general Pompey the Great. He did, however, produce one of the most intriguing Parthian coins, this intriguing issue which shows the king in a fully frontal pose, a sharp departure of the usual practice of Parthian and Greco-Roman coinage. It may have been struck as a victory issue after the final defeat of his rival, Arsaces XVI, in 66 BC. The portrait is quite masterly rendered by this die engraver, working at the royal court mint of Rhagai.
Estimate: 4000-5000 USD
PARTHIAN KINGDOM. Phraates III (ca. 70-57 BC). AR drachm (20mm, 3.91 gm, 11h). Court mint, Rhagai. Diademed and draped bust of Phraates III facing, wearing necklace with medallion / BAΣIΛEΩΣ MEΓAΛOY APΣ-AKOY ΘEOΠATOPOΣ EVEPΓETOV EΠIΦANOVΣ ΦIΛEΛΛHNOΣ in seven lines around, archer seated right, holding bow; below bow, monogram. Sunrise 333 (same obverse die). Sellwood 35.13 (Darius?). Shore -. With a superb bust of great artistry, perfectly centered on a broad flan, and struck in good metal. Good Extremely Fine.As is the case with many Parthian rulers, little is known of the reign of Phraates III, save for his occasional contacts and exchanges of correspondence with the Roman general Pompey the Great. He did, however, produce one of the most intriguing Parthian coins, this intriguing issue which shows the king in a fully frontal pose, a sharp departure of the usual practice of Parthian and Greco-Roman coinage. It may have been struck as a victory issue after the final defeat of his rival, Arsaces XVI, in 66 BC. The portrait is quite masterly rendered by this die engraver, working at the royal court mint of Rhagai.
Estimate: 4000-5000 USD