Heritage World Coin Auctions
CSNS Signature Sale 3073 25-26 & 29 Apr 2019
View prices realized
► Sale information
Find similar lots
Ancients
BABYLONIA. Alexandrine Empire. Mazaeus, as Satrap (331-328 BC). AV double-daric (22mm, 17.31 gm, 11h). NGC XF 4/5 - 4/5, flan flaw. Baaltars seated left, head facing, scepter in left hand, eagle, wheat stalk and bunch of grapes on vine in right; dotted border / Lion left, attacking back left; all within linear square frame within shallow incuse square. Treasures of Ancient Bactria (Miho Museum, 2002), 44 a and b (both ex Mir Zakah II deposit) var. (lion attacking bull to the right). For equivalent silver issues of Cilicia, cf. SNG Levante 100-106 and SNG France 2, 330-331. Evidence of an overstrike, possibly a running archer/king type of the Achaemenid Empire based on the thick lines in the field on the reverse, which was used on the double darics produced during the time of Darius I.
This extraordinary and large gold piece has been provisionally dated to the transition period between the conquest and consolidation of Alexander the Great's great Eastern Empire. During this time Alexander employed many of the same provincial rulers, or satraps, who had previously served the Persian King Darius II in the same capacity. Mazaeus, satrap of Cilicia, was among them. Though uninscribed, the design of this piece is virtually identical to coins struck under Mazaeus while he served under Darius. Other "local" Babylonian coins were struck at this time including double-darics featuring the Persian running archer/ king motif. This is one of only five double-darics known of this type, and the third with the reverse lion / bull motif facing left.
HID02901242017
Estimate: 15000-25000 USD
BABYLONIA. Alexandrine Empire. Mazaeus, as Satrap (331-328 BC). AV double-daric (22mm, 17.31 gm, 11h). NGC XF 4/5 - 4/5, flan flaw. Baaltars seated left, head facing, scepter in left hand, eagle, wheat stalk and bunch of grapes on vine in right; dotted border / Lion left, attacking back left; all within linear square frame within shallow incuse square. Treasures of Ancient Bactria (Miho Museum, 2002), 44 a and b (both ex Mir Zakah II deposit) var. (lion attacking bull to the right). For equivalent silver issues of Cilicia, cf. SNG Levante 100-106 and SNG France 2, 330-331. Evidence of an overstrike, possibly a running archer/king type of the Achaemenid Empire based on the thick lines in the field on the reverse, which was used on the double darics produced during the time of Darius I.
This extraordinary and large gold piece has been provisionally dated to the transition period between the conquest and consolidation of Alexander the Great's great Eastern Empire. During this time Alexander employed many of the same provincial rulers, or satraps, who had previously served the Persian King Darius II in the same capacity. Mazaeus, satrap of Cilicia, was among them. Though uninscribed, the design of this piece is virtually identical to coins struck under Mazaeus while he served under Darius. Other "local" Babylonian coins were struck at this time including double-darics featuring the Persian running archer/ king motif. This is one of only five double-darics known of this type, and the third with the reverse lion / bull motif facing left.
HID02901242017
Estimate: 15000-25000 USD