I had coin club last night, i was going to quit buying Ancients and finish my modern collection, well i ended up buying a few more.. Gotarzes l 90 -85...BC.. Ar Drachm.. Ob. Diad. and cuir. bust left, short beard. Rev. Archer enthroned right, holding bow.. 21mm x 4.13 g. This coin has some good details, also its has a gold hue to it. I think Martin posted a gold hue coin a while back...he had a term for it.. Also, i'm not sure this is a Gotarzes l coin, sellers info, went through websites can't find this bust for this coin....i really don't know much about these, i know these tend to be a little pricey, i picked this up very reasonable..
I don't have any Parthia Drachms, but I really like them and just always get sidetracked... I do think the coin is in amazing condition and its is an absolutely gorgeous bust. With that all being said, I think it is Orodes II or Phraates III.... I am sure others will know more, as I could be completely wrong but the bust looks familiar(ish). Great pickup Eng. Why on earth would you want to go back to collecting moderns...yikes..
That's a beautiful coin. I haven't gone down the Parthian path, but I've admired quite a few pieces, and yours is definitely choice!
oh man, that's gorgeous ENG....i've GOT to get in this coin club of yours. look halfway down the page here.... http://www.grifterrec.com/coins/parthia/parthian2.html looks like that orodes i coin did you say quit collecting ancients...say it aint so!
Very nice condition and style Eng. Excellent piece. I admit I have never been as big a fan of parthian as I am sassanid. Yours is an earlirr style, though, which is very atrractive.
There is disagreement among various books on who gets which Parthian coins. The scheme I prefer says this one is Orodes I after the death of his father (Mithradates II) with whom he had ruled jointly for a few years. The joint coins showed him in a tall crown which he removed and changed the legend from 'who loves his father' to 'whose father is a god' as seen here. The nose remains the same. My late, sole reign, coin is a lot like the OP example - just not as nice. The significant line of the legend is the inner left 'Theopatros' reading down. Note the o's are really small marks. The earlier coin while Mithradates was alive has a seven line legend including at the inner bottom (upside down here) 'fatherlover' and below that (also upside down) Autokrator which, I understand is a bit like the Roman Caesar used by junior rulers. There is a lot about this one that I do not understand. Note the star on the crown has seven points rather than the usual 6 or 8. Most unusual is the inner left legend which reads Epifanoys as it should but the first two letters are separated by the M of the inner top line Megaloy.
The only coin I have of this period... Kingdom of Parthia, Seleucia Gotarzes II 40-51 AD year 362 of the Seleucid era (51 AD) AR Tetradrachm 26mm x 13.87g Obverse: Diademed Head of Gotarzes II Left Reverse: Tyche Presenting Diadem to Gotarzes II-Greek Legend- "king of kings Arsaces the benefactor, the just, the illustrious (Epiphanes), the friend of the Greeks (Philhellen)", without mentioning his proper name."
Thank you for the info Doug. I really don't know much about these coins, while looking at coins i see these and they tend to pricey. My "guy" at the club i attend has over a hundred Ancient coins on hand, plus i'm the only one in club that buys from him, so he gives me a great deal on all the coins i buy...
Thats it I am getting on a plane and going to WA. For that kind of selection it might be worth it...that and a couple of cold ones with Eng.
If looking at Parthian, I always like Mithradates I and II. These two are early rulers, and their coins have great, classical greek, levels of artistry. I do like Eng's piece as well, as it displays similar great style. I never understood why the artistry deteriorated so poorly in the later years. Same thin with Sassanid, early rulers wonderful artistry, later rulers poor style.
