Roma Numismatics Ltd
E-Sale 79 14 Jan 2021
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Baktria, 'Athenian Series' AR Didrachm. Uncertain mint in the Oxus region, circa 321-245 BC. Attic standard. Head of Athena to right, wearing earring, necklace, and crested Attic helmet decorated with three olive leaves over visor and a spiral palmette on the bowl / Owl standing to right, head facing; olive sprig, crescent and grape bunch behind, AΘE before; all within shallow incuse square. Unpublished; for similar, cf. N&A 1-3 and Roma XIV, 346 (ΣTA MNA, Tetradrachm). 7.96g, 17mm, 2h.
Very Fine. Extremely Rare; an unrecorded type and possibly unique.
From the Professor Shir Mohammad Collection.
The style and fabric of this unpublished didrachm is strikingly similar to that found on an extremely rare issue of tetradrachms bearing the mark ΣTA MNA on the obverse (see H. Nicolet-Pierre & M. Amandry, "Un nouveau trésor de monnaies d'argent pseudo-Athéniennes venu d'Afghanistan", RN 1994, 1-3). Whilst no legend is visible on the obverse of this example, it shares characteristics which are peculiar to the aforementioned tetradrachms. Of all the coins recorded by Nicolet-Pierre and Amandry, remarkably few exhibit a shallow incuse square on the reverse: the ΣTA MNA tetradrachms, an unmarked series of tetradrachms (see N&A 4-9 and SNG ANS 1) and a later(?) of didrachm of differing style (see N&A 34).
The circular boss earring Athena is depicted wearing is peculiar to the ΣTA MNA tetradrachms and this didrachm, with all other 'Athenian series' issues displaying a hoop earring with or without a central boss. Similarly the necklace is drawn diagonally above the neckline on no other issues than the ΣTA MNA tetradrachms, rather than marking the end of the neck truncation. Whilst there exists a series of didrachms marked MNA (see Roma XIV, 349) all recorded specimens lack the stylistic characteristics discussed here and exhibit no incuse or control symbol on the reverse.
Very Fine. Extremely Rare; an unrecorded type and possibly unique.
From the Professor Shir Mohammad Collection.
The style and fabric of this unpublished didrachm is strikingly similar to that found on an extremely rare issue of tetradrachms bearing the mark ΣTA MNA on the obverse (see H. Nicolet-Pierre & M. Amandry, "Un nouveau trésor de monnaies d'argent pseudo-Athéniennes venu d'Afghanistan", RN 1994, 1-3). Whilst no legend is visible on the obverse of this example, it shares characteristics which are peculiar to the aforementioned tetradrachms. Of all the coins recorded by Nicolet-Pierre and Amandry, remarkably few exhibit a shallow incuse square on the reverse: the ΣTA MNA tetradrachms, an unmarked series of tetradrachms (see N&A 4-9 and SNG ANS 1) and a later(?) of didrachm of differing style (see N&A 34).
The circular boss earring Athena is depicted wearing is peculiar to the ΣTA MNA tetradrachms and this didrachm, with all other 'Athenian series' issues displaying a hoop earring with or without a central boss. Similarly the necklace is drawn diagonally above the neckline on no other issues than the ΣTA MNA tetradrachms, rather than marking the end of the neck truncation. Whilst there exists a series of didrachms marked MNA (see Roma XIV, 349) all recorded specimens lack the stylistic characteristics discussed here and exhibit no incuse or control symbol on the reverse.