Numismatica Genevensis SA
Auction 9 14 December 2015
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The East. The Kingdom of Bactria, Agathokles, c. 185 - 170 BC. Tetradrachm, Merv. (Silver, 17g., 30.5mm). Diademed and draped bust of Agathokles to right / ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ – ΑΓΑΘΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ Zeus, with drapery over his left shoulder and below his waist, standing facing, holding a long sceptre in his left hand and a figure of Hekate holding torches in his right; in inner field to left, monogram of ΑΦ. Bopearachi series I, 1. Mitchiner 137a. SNG ANS 230.
An especially fine example with an extraordinarily individualistic portrait in high relief. Good extremely fine.
Provenance: Numismatica Ars Classica 48, 21 October 2008, 107. Triton III, 30 November 1999, 692.
One of the great problems about the Greek kings of Bactria, a region centered on modern Afghanistan but also including areas to the north and south, is that we know virtually nothing about them other than what they looked like, and that solely because of their coins. Agathokles seems to have ruled both in Baktria and in India since we have coins in his name that are bilingual: Greek and in the Indian Kharoshti script, which was not used in Bactria itself. This tetradrachm was, however, of Attic weight, rather than on the Indian standard, and was designed for use in the Bactrian heartlands of the kingdom. The quality of this portrait is truly outstanding: on a par with the very best found on the coins minted for the contemporary rulers of Macedon, Pontus and elsewhere.
An especially fine example with an extraordinarily individualistic portrait in high relief. Good extremely fine.
Provenance: Numismatica Ars Classica 48, 21 October 2008, 107. Triton III, 30 November 1999, 692.
One of the great problems about the Greek kings of Bactria, a region centered on modern Afghanistan but also including areas to the north and south, is that we know virtually nothing about them other than what they looked like, and that solely because of their coins. Agathokles seems to have ruled both in Baktria and in India since we have coins in his name that are bilingual: Greek and in the Indian Kharoshti script, which was not used in Bactria itself. This tetradrachm was, however, of Attic weight, rather than on the Indian standard, and was designed for use in the Bactrian heartlands of the kingdom. The quality of this portrait is truly outstanding: on a par with the very best found on the coins minted for the contemporary rulers of Macedon, Pontus and elsewhere.