Baldwin & Sons
Auction 100 27 September 2016
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ANCIENT COINS, THE DAVID SELLWOOD COLLECTION OF PARTHIAN COINS (PART FOUR), Mithradates I (164-132 BC), Silver Obol, diademed and bearded bust of Mithradates I right, reel-and-pellet border, rev long bearded bust right in bashlyk (Bagasis), three line inscription ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΜΕΓΑΛΟY ΑΡΣΑΚΟY, 0.62g, 3h (S 12.5 (minted at Ecbatana during 148-132 BC)); Orodes II (c.55-38 BC), Silver Obol, short bearded and diademed bust of Orodes II left, wart on brow, wearing griffin-ended spiral torque, rev archer enthroned right, monogram below bow, four line inscription ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩN ΑΡΣΑΚΟY YPΩΔOY, 0.49g, 12h (S 48.17 (minted at Rhagae, carrying personal name of Orodes)). Good fine to about very fine, very rare to extremely rare. (2)
The long bearded bust on the reverse of the first Obol in this lot is that of Bagāyāsh (Bagasis), brother of Mithradates I. He was appointed governor of Media Magna and Atropatene after Mithradates conquered those important provinces about summer – autumn 148 BC. The Armenian sources refer to Bagāyāsh as Valarsaces and take him as their first monarch. For further reading and identification with Bagāyāsh of the effigy on the reverse of this and related S12 varieties, see Assar G.R.F., "A Revised Parthian Chronology of the Period 165-91 B.C.", Electrum 11 (2006), 87-158 (at 89-90).
Estimate: £150-200
The long bearded bust on the reverse of the first Obol in this lot is that of Bagāyāsh (Bagasis), brother of Mithradates I. He was appointed governor of Media Magna and Atropatene after Mithradates conquered those important provinces about summer – autumn 148 BC. The Armenian sources refer to Bagāyāsh as Valarsaces and take him as their first monarch. For further reading and identification with Bagāyāsh of the effigy on the reverse of this and related S12 varieties, see Assar G.R.F., "A Revised Parthian Chronology of the Period 165-91 B.C.", Electrum 11 (2006), 87-158 (at 89-90).
Estimate: £150-200