Roma Numismatics Ltd
Auction XIV 21 Sep 2017
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Uncertain Eastern Satrapy, 'Athenian Series' AR Tetradrachm. Uncertain mint, circa 323-240 BC. Attic standard. Head of Athena left, wearing earring, and crested Attic helmet decorated with two olive leaves over visor and a spiral palmette on the bowl / Owl standing right, head facing; olive sprig and crescent behind, AΘ [E erased from die] before. Bopearachchi, Sophytes -; Mitchiner -; SNG ANS -; N&A -; cf. P. van Alfen, "The 'Owls' from the 1973 Iraq Hoard" in AJN 12 (2000), pl. 6, 116. 16.22g, 22mm, 5h.
Very Fine. Exceedingly Rare.
The style and fabric of this coin and the following 5 is quite unlike both the preceding 'Athenian Series' coins that we have re-attributed to Parthia on the basis of the presence of the Andragoras monogram, and the following issues that are attributed to Baktria. They also exhibit significant differences to one another. Because of the difficulty at this time of assigning them either a chronological or geographical range, we tentatively propose that these issues were struck at one or more different mints, perhaps (though not necessarily) in one of the two satrapies - Aria and Drangiana - that lie between Parthia to the west, and Baktria to the east. For the multiple mint hypothesis, see N&A p. 40. It is likely that they were produced for local commerce only, given that they have not been found west of Ekbatana, so far as we know. In this case they might have been produced as early as after Alexander's death, and as late as the Parni invasion of Parthia and the assumption of power in Baktria by Diodotos II.
Very Fine. Exceedingly Rare.
The style and fabric of this coin and the following 5 is quite unlike both the preceding 'Athenian Series' coins that we have re-attributed to Parthia on the basis of the presence of the Andragoras monogram, and the following issues that are attributed to Baktria. They also exhibit significant differences to one another. Because of the difficulty at this time of assigning them either a chronological or geographical range, we tentatively propose that these issues were struck at one or more different mints, perhaps (though not necessarily) in one of the two satrapies - Aria and Drangiana - that lie between Parthia to the west, and Baktria to the east. For the multiple mint hypothesis, see N&A p. 40. It is likely that they were produced for local commerce only, given that they have not been found west of Ekbatana, so far as we know. In this case they might have been produced as early as after Alexander's death, and as late as the Parni invasion of Parthia and the assumption of power in Baktria by Diodotos II.