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NYINC Signature Sale 3098 18-19 Jan 2022
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Ancients
SELEUCID KINGDOM. Seleucus II Callinicus (246-225 BC). AV stater (19mm, 8.34 gm, 12h). NGC Choice VF 4/5 - 2/5, brushed. Perhaps Antioch or Uncertain Mint 50 (?), ca. 244 BC. Diademed head of Seleucus II right, diadem ties hanging straight behind / BAΣIΛEΩΣ / ΣEΛ-EYKOY, Apollo, nude, standing facing, head left, examining arrow in right hand, left hand resting on grounded bow; head right and pellet (?) in left field. SC -. cf. SC 701b and Numismatica Ars Classica, Auction 123 (9 May 2021), lot 816 for another example apparently from the same celator who engraved the obverse die, if not from the same die.
From the GK Collection
The reign of Seleucus II was chaotic from its inception. The son of Antiochus II by his first wife, Laodice, Seleucus was proclaimed king upon his father's unexpected death (probably by poisoning) in 246 BC by partisans of his mother at Ephesus, while his infant half-brother Antiochus was proclaimed by Berenice, his father's second wife and sister of Ptolemy III, who supported her claim. When Laodice murdered Berenice and her son, Ptolemy launched a full-scale invasion of the Seleucid Kingdom (the Third Syrian War) that forced Seleucus into a five-year rear-guard action and led to the capture and sack of Antioch by Ptolemaic forces. Even after Ptolemy withdrew in 241 BC, Seleucus had to contend with a rebellion by his younger brother, Antiochus Hierax, that left large portions of the kingdom under Hierax's control for another 14 years. Seleucus dealt with these wars as best as he could given the circumstances forced upon him by his murderous mother and contentious sibling, but his qualities as a ruler and tactician are difficult to assess due to the paucity of sources for the reign. A riding accident cut his rule short in 225 BC.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/greek/ancients-seleucid-kingdom-seleucus-ii-callinicus-246-225-bc-av-stater-19mm-834-gm-12h-ngc-choice-vf-4-5-2/a/3098-33161.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3098-01182022
HID02906262019
© 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 3200-4800 USD
SELEUCID KINGDOM. Seleucus II Callinicus (246-225 BC). AV stater (19mm, 8.34 gm, 12h). NGC Choice VF 4/5 - 2/5, brushed. Perhaps Antioch or Uncertain Mint 50 (?), ca. 244 BC. Diademed head of Seleucus II right, diadem ties hanging straight behind / BAΣIΛEΩΣ / ΣEΛ-EYKOY, Apollo, nude, standing facing, head left, examining arrow in right hand, left hand resting on grounded bow; head right and pellet (?) in left field. SC -. cf. SC 701b and Numismatica Ars Classica, Auction 123 (9 May 2021), lot 816 for another example apparently from the same celator who engraved the obverse die, if not from the same die.
From the GK Collection
The reign of Seleucus II was chaotic from its inception. The son of Antiochus II by his first wife, Laodice, Seleucus was proclaimed king upon his father's unexpected death (probably by poisoning) in 246 BC by partisans of his mother at Ephesus, while his infant half-brother Antiochus was proclaimed by Berenice, his father's second wife and sister of Ptolemy III, who supported her claim. When Laodice murdered Berenice and her son, Ptolemy launched a full-scale invasion of the Seleucid Kingdom (the Third Syrian War) that forced Seleucus into a five-year rear-guard action and led to the capture and sack of Antioch by Ptolemaic forces. Even after Ptolemy withdrew in 241 BC, Seleucus had to contend with a rebellion by his younger brother, Antiochus Hierax, that left large portions of the kingdom under Hierax's control for another 14 years. Seleucus dealt with these wars as best as he could given the circumstances forced upon him by his murderous mother and contentious sibling, but his qualities as a ruler and tactician are difficult to assess due to the paucity of sources for the reign. A riding accident cut his rule short in 225 BC.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/greek/ancients-seleucid-kingdom-seleucus-ii-callinicus-246-225-bc-av-stater-19mm-834-gm-12h-ngc-choice-vf-4-5-2/a/3098-33161.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3098-01182022
HID02906262019
© 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 3200-4800 USD