Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Electronic Auction 494 23 Jun 2021
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SELEUKID EMPIRE. Antiochos IV Epiphanes(?). 175-164 BC. Æ (12mm, 1.57 g, 12h). Laodikeia in Phoenicia (Berytos). Radiate head right / Rose on stem; ΦO monogram to left, ΛA to right. Unpublished, but cf. SC 1828 and HGC 9, 943 for a similar issue under Alexander I Balas. Toned coppery surfaces. Near VF. Extremely rare.
Based on the control marks, the attribution of this type to Laodikeia is certain. However, the attribution to Antiochos IV is not. According to SC (following Sawaya), the rose type was introduced by Alexander I, but the present coin could be a heretofore unknown issue of the type under Antiochos VI. The obverse, with a radiate head, is most similar to issues of Antiochos IV, but his portraits are fairly consistent, with one diadem tie always falling forward over his shoulder, and the facial features here are not similar to the portraits of Antochos IV. The radiate potrait it is also a canonical obverse type used by Antiochos VI, and this may represent the only known issue of that king from Laodikeia. However, as with Antiochos IV, the portrait style for the issues of Antiochos VI are highly consistent, and, as with the former king, it is not consistent with the appearance of the portrait here. A final possibility is that this is a civic issue that Laodikeia struck during the tumultuous period during the struggle between Demetrios I and Diodotos Tryphon. At that time, Laodikeia lay within the borderland between the respective areas controlled by these two opponents, and it is possible that Laodikeia needed to strike an issue for some purpose, but chose a neutral portrait for the obverse, which appears to be most consistent with the representation of Helios on Rhodian issues.
Based on the control marks, the attribution of this type to Laodikeia is certain. However, the attribution to Antiochos IV is not. According to SC (following Sawaya), the rose type was introduced by Alexander I, but the present coin could be a heretofore unknown issue of the type under Antiochos VI. The obverse, with a radiate head, is most similar to issues of Antiochos IV, but his portraits are fairly consistent, with one diadem tie always falling forward over his shoulder, and the facial features here are not similar to the portraits of Antochos IV. The radiate potrait it is also a canonical obverse type used by Antiochos VI, and this may represent the only known issue of that king from Laodikeia. However, as with Antiochos IV, the portrait style for the issues of Antiochos VI are highly consistent, and, as with the former king, it is not consistent with the appearance of the portrait here. A final possibility is that this is a civic issue that Laodikeia struck during the tumultuous period during the struggle between Demetrios I and Diodotos Tryphon. At that time, Laodikeia lay within the borderland between the respective areas controlled by these two opponents, and it is possible that Laodikeia needed to strike an issue for some purpose, but chose a neutral portrait for the obverse, which appears to be most consistent with the representation of Helios on Rhodian issues.