Got a coin from the King of the Universe

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Magnus Maximus, Oct 26, 2019.

  1. Magnus Maximus

    Magnus Maximus Dulce et Decorum est....

    After recently diving into Seleucid coins, and getting a tetradrachm of Antiochus II Theos, I decided to get one of his father, Antiochus I Soter.

    Antiochus I was son of the Seleucus I, one of the successor generals of Alexander The Great. Interestingly enough he was half Sogdian( an Iranian ethnic group found in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan) by way of his mother Apema who was married to Seleucus by Alexander in 324 CE.

    Antiochus I was born in late 324 or early 323, which would make him the only member of the 2nd generation of Diadochi who was alive when Alexander was.
    Antiochus’s life is too detailed to go into in depth, and this YouTuber can explain it better than I ever could.



    One thing that is interesting though, is that Antiochus I was the last King to be proclaimed “King of the Universe”, by the Babylonian priest class. Toward the end of his reign Babylon would be sidelined by a newer city further up north; Seleucia on the Tigris.

    I’m pretty new to these coins so I have no idea how the dealer was able to differentiate this coin from ones of Antiochus’s II, as they look identical to me.
    Anyhow

    78580633-E4EF-43BF-AC87-69BC4B82E1BE.jpeg
    Antiochus I Soter Tetradrachm
    SC 379.3c; HGC 9
    16.73 g

    Seleukeia on the Tigris mint.
    Diademed head right / Apollo Delphios, testing arrow and resting hand on grounded bow, seated left on omphalos; monograms to outer left and right.
     
    Last edited: Oct 26, 2019
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  3. Theodosius

    Theodosius Fine Style Seeker

    A very realistic portrait. You feel like you would recognize him on the street.

    An interesting area to collect that I keep thinking of getting into.

    John
     
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  4. Valentinian

    Valentinian Well-Known Member

    Coins of Antiochus I and Antiochus II can be extremely similar. Both issued the OP type with the same portrait of Antiochus I. Somehow the experts have managed to distinguish the two rulers and mints by the monograms in the fields. Here is my Antiochus II:

    SG6886AntiochusIIn0907.jpg

    Antiochus II, Theos, 261-246 BC. 28 mm. 16.52 grams.
    Portrait of Antiochus I (note: Antiochus I, not II)
    Apollo seated left on omphalos, holding arrow and grounded bow.
    Houghton, Seleucid Coins, 587.1c with these monograms. Minted at Seleukia on the Tigris
    ACNAC Houghton 963v, plate 57.
    Sear Greek 6886 variety.
    Hoover Handbook 236g

    I agree. It is a distinctive portrait.
     
  5. Deacon Ray

    Deacon Ray Artist & Historian Supporter

    Seleucid coins are beautiful. All of mine are Æ but if I were to purchase a tetradrachm it would be an Antiochus I like yours. I often wonder what circumstances the king is dealing with that would cause him to have such a facial expression.
     
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  6. ValiantKnight

    ValiantKnight Well-Known Member

    Cool pickup @Magnus Maximus . Wanted to focus more on Seleucids when I got my first ones, but this goal fell to the wayside as I started to look at other Greek coins. I’ll still dabble occasionally. I don’t have Antiochus II but I do have a later Antiochus.

    Antiochus VII
    , Seleucid Kingdom

    AR tetradrachm
    Obv: Diademed head right within border
    Rev: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ANTIOXOY EYEΡΓETOY, Athena standing left, holding Nike in right hand, spear, and shield decorated with face in left hand
    Mint: Antioch
    Date: 138-129 BC
    Ref: HGC 1067

    [​IMG]
     
  7. TheRed

    TheRed Well-Known Member

    That is a great tet @Magnus Maximus I really like it. An interesting fact about Antiochus I, he was half Greek and half Iranian. His mother was a Sogdian princess that Alexander had given his father to marry after the conquest of Babylon. Here is one of my tets of his.

    [​IMG]
    Antiochus I Soter AR Tetradrachm.
    281-261 BC Seleucia on the Tigris
    Obv: Diademed head of Antiochus I r. Rev: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ Apollo seated left on omphalos, holding arrow and resting w/ hand on grounded bow; monograms in outer l. and r. fields.
     
  8. Magnus Maximus

    Magnus Maximus Dulce et Decorum est....

    Lovely coin everyone.

    @Valentinian
    Here is one of Antiochus II that looks nearly indistinguishable from his fathers coins.
    2D3901D3-DFF1-402A-BD2E-75D01788E36D.jpeg
    6D1E9A16-0324-44CD-AC44-37077A4219A3.jpeg
     
  9. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    Beautiful coin with some handsome toning! A tet of his still high on my list of wants. Though I have some bronzes:
    9E03A666-88B0-4636-A53B-9B53A2536106.png
    Antiochos I Soter
    Seleukid Kingdom (281-261 BC). AE (15mm, 2.49g). Smyrna or Sardes. Helmeted head of Athena facing / BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ / ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ. Nike standing left, holding wreath and palm frond, Monogram to outer left. SC 315a; HGC 9, 167.
    Former: Kairos
    A1B65B1C-7EAE-49E0-86FD-8C7BAA930665.png
    Antiochos I. Coregency with Seleucis I
    294-281 BCE Æ
    Ai Khanoum mint. Struck circa 285-281 BCE. Charging bull right; P Π monogram above / BAΣIΛEΩN ΣEΛEΥKOΥ ANTIOXOΥ, above and below shaft of Anchor; delta circle monogram below. SC 286(2) var. (obverse control). VF, dark brown

    And it wouldn't be responsible of me too not post this guy...
    23777856-B7EE-4A93-A99D-38252C7E81BB.png
    Antiochos I Soter
    Shield with Anchor Æ20
    6.09 grams 20mm
    Obv. Macedonian Shield with Anchor motif
    Rv. BAΣIΛEΩΣ ANTIOXOY
    Above and below elephant walking right OME monogram
    (obscured by Anchor counter stamp) and club above
    Jaw bone of boar in exergue BMC 37
    Former fvrivs.rvfvs
     
  10. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

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  11. Topcat7

    Topcat7 Still Learning

    Beautiful coins M.M. VERY collectable.
    Mine are mine, and here they are . . .

    (1) LYDIA Sardes Antiochos I Soter SG 6879
    _1__LYDIA_Sardes_Antiochos_I_Soter_SG_6879-removebg-preview.png

    (3) LYDIA Sardes Antiochos II Theo SC 351.1
    _3__LYDIA_Sardes_Antiochos_II_Theo_SC_351-removebg-preview.png
     
    Last edited: Oct 26, 2019
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  12. randygeki

    randygeki Coin Collector

  13. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    I consider these early Seleucid issues to be 'real' coins that circulated in the economy enough that we have a wide range of conditions in all price brackets. I have never been a specialist level student of Seleucids but this well used and abused Antiochus I(?) tetradrachm has been with me since 1987. It was sold to me as VG but hardly anyone sells coins graded that low anymore so it might have healed to a Fine with surface problems by now. In another century it may be AU? Certainly many of you would prefer no coin to one like this but the option exists for those on a budget. Coins like this feel good to the fingers. They don't scream like the MS ones do when touched.
    g92250bb0013.jpg
     
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