The Pawn's Bust

Recently I had made a rather large investment in a collection of coins, mostly tets with some to stock and some to rock. Taking proper photos and attributing is proving to be a an extremely time consuming process. Such as life.

One of the notable coins of the lot is of a tetradrachm of person who never ruled as king. The son of Alexander Balas and Cleopatra Thea, this person was simply nominated by Diodotus Tryphon as the heir to the throne. This person died at a young and is thought to have died while undergoing surgery. The tetradrachm is quite impressive. It has the feel and appearance of a large RR denarius. This is an unconventional reverse for coins of Seleucid rulers. In this case Pollox and Castor are seen on horseback left The nearer figuring brandishing a shield. Totally awesome! The obverse features a radiant diademed bust, I can only wonder what the significance of the rays are. Is this Antiochus VI as Helios?

The last bit the coin has going for it is the nice dated legend. You can clearly see
Θ-Ξ-P under the horses front legs. This reads right to left P=100, Ξ = 60, Θ=9 or year 169 of the Seleucid era. (BC 144/3)

Oh yea and there is a little test cut, wonder if anyone noticed.

Seleucid Kingdom
Antioch on the Orontes
Antiochus VI Epiphanes (r. BC 144 - 142)
AR Tetradrachm (s.BC 144/3)
31.6 mm x 16.70 grams
Obverse: Radiate and diademed head of Antiochus right, fillet border
Reverse: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ (king Antiochus) above, ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ ΔΙΟΝΥΣΟΥ below,he Dioscuri on horseback charging left with couched spears and shields. (date) under horses, in inner right field. ΘΞΡ (169 SE), TPY above and ΣTA, all within laurel wreath.
Ref: HSC 9, 1032. SC 2000.3c. SMA 241. Rare & Phat.

 

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Fantastic coin of Antiochus VI Dionysus Master Noob, can't wait to see the rest!

 

that coin is HOT....31 mm of sweet selecudid silver. great youthful portrait, awesome dioscuri reverse. test cut doesn't bother me a bit.

 

Very nice, thanks for posting!

 

That is a sweet coin and a great find. That sounds like a great lot!

 

What a pretty pair are those Dioscuri, and a beautiful portrait, too.

 

Sometimes you astound me Anoob. This time it's the coin!

 

Oh my, Noob => man, that's a very sweet addition (congrats, coin-dawg!!)

I love the reverse (very cool)



Ummm, I also have a few Antiochos examples ... do you wanna see 'em?

Antiochos I (your OP-dude's great, great, great Grand-daddy)





Antiochos VI (your OP-dude himself)





Antiochos VIII (your OP-dude's Grandson)




=> wow, Noob ... again, that's a very cool OP-coin (congrats on scoring that hound!)

 

Wow Noob-- you're really rockin' the flip! Your latest lot sounds fantastic! I hope the results allow you to fund some fantastic exotic Easterns

 

Thanks TIF. Yea I really hope so scoring this lot was gamble, but you see the goal. Those Vasu Deva Dinars dont come cheap.

 

Love the bronzes. I have come to realize you don't do anything piecemeal.

 

Yea its an awesome lot. There are about 30 tets. Some to stock others to rock.

 

Don't hold back, man... let's see the rest!

 

Oh its a big file... and I only have about half photographed, and attribution is on going. Although since this a thread about Antiochus VI, I should at least show you who the real king was. Demeterios II.

 

Oh and his Dad Alexander Balas.

 

Was it one big collection?

 

Yes. From a collector in NJ.

 

Those two are fantastic! I especially love the Alexander Balas. Really nice score, noob.

 

It maybe the greatest score ever as a whole.

 

Well, these look wonderful. Just don't forget your friends here on CT when you "rock" what you don't keep.