Leu Numismatik AG
Auction 7 24-25 Oct 2020
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KINGS OF ARMENIA MINOR. Mithradates (?), circa 180s-170s BC. Chalkous (Bronze, 12 mm, 2.00 g, 12 h). Draped bust of Mithradates (?) to left, bearded and wearing upright bashlyk tied with a diadem; around, uncertain Aramaic legend. Rev. Draped female bust to right. Kovacs -. Leu 4 (2019), 361 (with a longer note on the issue). Extremely rare and of great interest. Extremely rare and of great interest. Very fine.
From an important collection of Armenian coins.
When these enigmatic chalkoi with a female bust on the reverse first appeared in 2019, this cataloguer attributed them to an uncertain Armenian King with his queen, as the obverse legends are notoriously difficult to read and the styles vary greatly (which perhaps points towards a hastily production or a series of imitations with blundered names). However, in view of the coinage of Mithradates reconsidered above, it seems likely that the queen-issue also belongs to this ruler after all, as the portrait on this example bears a striking resemblance to lot 1335 above, albeit the queen looks quite different from 1350. In any case, the small and crude fabric of the flan(s) certainly place the issue in the vicinity of Mithradates and of Artaxias I of Armenia, as does the important overstrike on lot 1349 below. Perhaps one day a clearer example will emerge, allowing a full reading of the name and hence a save attribution to one of the early Armenian rulers.
From an important collection of Armenian coins.
When these enigmatic chalkoi with a female bust on the reverse first appeared in 2019, this cataloguer attributed them to an uncertain Armenian King with his queen, as the obverse legends are notoriously difficult to read and the styles vary greatly (which perhaps points towards a hastily production or a series of imitations with blundered names). However, in view of the coinage of Mithradates reconsidered above, it seems likely that the queen-issue also belongs to this ruler after all, as the portrait on this example bears a striking resemblance to lot 1335 above, albeit the queen looks quite different from 1350. In any case, the small and crude fabric of the flan(s) certainly place the issue in the vicinity of Mithradates and of Artaxias I of Armenia, as does the important overstrike on lot 1349 below. Perhaps one day a clearer example will emerge, allowing a full reading of the name and hence a save attribution to one of the early Armenian rulers.