Heritage World Coin Auctions
NYINC Signature Sale 3044 3-4 January 2016
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SELEUCID KINGDOM. Seleucus I Nicator (312-281 BC). AR tetradrachm (25mm, 17.15 gm, 6h). Susa, after ca. 295 BC. Laureate head of Zeus right / BAΣIΛEΩΣ to left, Athena, holding spear and shield, driving biga of elephants right; anchor above, bee and M to right, ΣEΛEYKOY in exergue. SC 177.6. HGC 9, 18c. Rare variety with biga! Minor obverse flan flaw. NGC Choice VF 4/5 - 5/5. The Seleucus I tetradrachms with a biga of elephants on the reverse are significantly rarer than those with a quadriga of elephants. The most prolific issue of the quadriga type was produced by Seleucia on the Tigris, to which Oliver Hoover, in The Handbook of Greek Coins, assigns a rarity rating of Common to Scarce. There were a total of 43 different reverse varieties used at this mint according to Houghton and Lorber (SC 130), meaning the output was quite significant. The only mint to produce the reverse type with a biga of elephants, however, was Susa (SC 177 and HGC 9, 18c), which had only six emissions, suggesting the output was less than 15% that of Seleucia.
Estimate: 1500-2000 USD
SELEUCID KINGDOM. Seleucus I Nicator (312-281 BC). AR tetradrachm (25mm, 17.15 gm, 6h). Susa, after ca. 295 BC. Laureate head of Zeus right / BAΣIΛEΩΣ to left, Athena, holding spear and shield, driving biga of elephants right; anchor above, bee and M to right, ΣEΛEYKOY in exergue. SC 177.6. HGC 9, 18c. Rare variety with biga! Minor obverse flan flaw. NGC Choice VF 4/5 - 5/5. The Seleucus I tetradrachms with a biga of elephants on the reverse are significantly rarer than those with a quadriga of elephants. The most prolific issue of the quadriga type was produced by Seleucia on the Tigris, to which Oliver Hoover, in The Handbook of Greek Coins, assigns a rarity rating of Common to Scarce. There were a total of 43 different reverse varieties used at this mint according to Houghton and Lorber (SC 130), meaning the output was quite significant. The only mint to produce the reverse type with a biga of elephants, however, was Susa (SC 177 and HGC 9, 18c), which had only six emissions, suggesting the output was less than 15% that of Seleucia.
Estimate: 1500-2000 USD