Ancients => baby got Baktria

Well, I started-out just bidding-on the super cool fourree ... but then I started thinking that it'd be better to have an authentic example to emphasize the cool-factor

=> and here is the end result ...

BAKTRIA, Indo-Greek Kingdom. Hermaios.
Fourrée AR Drachm
Circa 105-90 BC
Diameter: 17 mm
Weight: 1.88 grams
Obverse: Hermaios on horse right
Reverse: Zeus enthroned facing slightly left, raising hand and holding scepter; monogram to right
Reference: Cf. Senior, Hermaios H2cD; cf. Bopearachchi 8A; cf. HGC 12, 296 (all refs for official issue)
Other: 12h … toned, some deposits and breaks in plating





BAKTRIA, Indo-Greek Kingdom. Antialkidas Nikephoros, AR Drachm
Circa 130-120 BC
Diameter: 17 mm
Weight: 2.46 grams
Obverse: Diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right, wearing crested helmet adorned with bull’s horn and ear
Reverse: Zeus seated facing slightly left, holding Nike and scepter; to left, forepart of elephant right; monogram to right
Reference: Bopearachchi 12A; HGC 12, 258
Other: 12h … toned, minor porosity




=> oh, and here are the two new reverses in a pose-down with each other ...




... yah, I thought it was a pretty cool score

I stole both examples "under their initial estimates" (cha-ching!)

 

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Nice!

 

A seriously cool series of coins, especially the tetradrachms. The only one I have in my collection:

Baktria, Greco-Baktrian Kingdom, Demetrios I, circa 200 - 185 BC
Æ Triple Unit, 31mm, 12.49g
Obverse: Head of elephant three quarters facing to right with raised trunk and wearing bell.
Reverse: BASILEWS DHMHTRIOU, Caduceus, monogram in left field.

Reference:Bopearachchi 5E
SNG ANS 209
MIG 108b

Provenance:
CNG Electronic Auctions 164, lot 164, $225 ($252) May 2007

 

That's a very sweet example, Ken-D (congrats)

=> I happen to have one of those sweeties as well ... I'm callin' my version a Trichalkon (is that also correct?)

Demetrius I Trichalkon
200-185 BC
Diameter: 29.5 mm
Weight: 12.61 grams
Bactrian Kings, Demetrius I, bronze Attic trichalkon of:
Obverse: Head of elephant with bell hanging from neck
Reverse: Caduceus.
Reference: Bopearachchi-16, Mitchiner-1086, SNG ANS 209
Other: LOVELY brown and green patina, great example



NOTE => this is Demetrios I (Bactrian King) which is different from Demetrios I (Seleukid King) ... yah, I've fallen for that trick a few times, eh?

"Bactria was a country in Central Asia, mostly on the territory of modern Afghanistan. The land along the Silk Route was an important transit centre for trade between Orient and Occident over countless centuries. Nevertheless, the history of Bactria is hardly known. Even the reigns of the Bactrian kings are difficult to ascertain." ... wiki

 

Nice additions, Steve!

 

Oh, and please post any relevant, or irrelevant examples ...

=> maybe your Baktrian coins, or your elephants, or your fourrees, etc, etc

... or whatever floats your boat, my coin-friends!!

Cheers

 

I love that!

 

Yup, I must admit that Ken's example is very sweet

 

Ummm, how 'bout I toss-in my other sweet fourree?

KINGS of MACEDON. Philip III Arrhidaios.
Fourrée Fifth Tetradrachm
323-317 BC
Copying Amphipolis mint issue struck under Polyperchon, circa 318–317 BC
Diameter: 13 mm
Weight: 1.94 grams
Obverse: Head of Apollo right, wearing tainia
Reverse: Youth on horseback right; shield below
Reference: For prototype, cf. Le Rider pl. 46, 29 & 32; cf. Troxell, Studies, Group 8, 382; cf. SNG ANS 731-5
Other: 8h … VF, toned, breaks in plating exposing bronze core
From the collection of a Southern Pathologist, purchased from Antioch Associates, 23 February 1998




... they look kinda cool together, eh?

 

Another Hermaios Tetradrachm:


and a bronze square unit:

 

Sweet examples, THC ... thanks for posting, coin-bro

 

Hmmm, curious?

Which of my two new OP-coins is your favourite?


1) the sweet fourree ($120 hammer) ... $150 estimate



2) or the cool authentic ($95 hammer) ... $100 estimate




... thanks

 

My vote goes to the elephants !

 

Authentic is my favorite.

 

Wow, two votes for the authentic, eh? (funny, because I totally got lured-in by the cool fourree)

THC => hey, your 1/2-elephant is facing the other direction (man, apparently I need to get a 3rd example!!)



... thanks guys

 

I vote for the authentic one as well but both are really awesome coins.

 

Apples and oranges for me. I like a few fourees in my collection, especially if they clearly demonstrate the base metal core, but have enough silver for eye-appeal. Anyway, if you can't decide between two coins, the best policy is to get them both.

 

Well spotted ! There are different versions of the Antialkidas drachms, with helmet, kausia, or bare headed. Each has a standard direction in which the elephant is facing.
The one i showed is the uncommon exception for the helmeted type.
Antiakidas is one of the more interesting Indo-Greek rulers as he is one of the few referenced in contemporary written accounts which have been preserved, like this from the Indian Heliodorus pillar:

 

Uh oh. Better add the 1/2 elephant left to your shopping list

 

What is that picture? Elephant chromosomes?