Roma Numismatics Ltd
E-Live Auction 1 25-26 Jul 2018
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Seleukid Empire, Antiochos III 'the Great' AR Tetradrachm. Uncertain mint, Sardes(?), circa 203 BC. Diademed head right / BAΣIΛEΩΣ ANTIOXOY, Apollo Delphios seated left on omphalos, holding arrow and resting hand on bow; monograms in outer left and right field. SC - (unlisted monograms); for similar obv. die, cf. SC 985.1, pl. 48 (elephant type). 16.85g, 26mm, 12h.
Very Fine. Seemingly unpublished.
The obverse die of this unpublished tetradrachm is possibly the same die as that of SC 985.1 (which exhibits slight die shift), or at least by the same hand. The SC catalogue describes the portraits of the die engraver as 'extraordinary works of art' and suggests that they may have been taken from life (see p. 377).
The catalogue entries for SC 985-7, which are all thought to be the hand of the same artist, feature a reverse type honouring the Seleucid elephant corps. The minting of these issues remains uncertain, though it is suggested that they were produced from 203 BC onwards when Antiochos is believed to have been in Ionia. The clear link to the elephant issues demonstrated by the obverse portrait of the present piece would place this coin as part of the first attributable Apollo type reverse tetradrachms to be produced at this unknown mint, and indeed the outer left monogram seen on the reverse is similar to that shared by SC 985.1 and 987.1.
Very Fine. Seemingly unpublished.
The obverse die of this unpublished tetradrachm is possibly the same die as that of SC 985.1 (which exhibits slight die shift), or at least by the same hand. The SC catalogue describes the portraits of the die engraver as 'extraordinary works of art' and suggests that they may have been taken from life (see p. 377).
The catalogue entries for SC 985-7, which are all thought to be the hand of the same artist, feature a reverse type honouring the Seleucid elephant corps. The minting of these issues remains uncertain, though it is suggested that they were produced from 203 BC onwards when Antiochos is believed to have been in Ionia. The clear link to the elephant issues demonstrated by the obverse portrait of the present piece would place this coin as part of the first attributable Apollo type reverse tetradrachms to be produced at this unknown mint, and indeed the outer left monogram seen on the reverse is similar to that shared by SC 985.1 and 987.1.