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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;dougsmit, post: 1793623, member: 19463&quot;]Among the coins that followed me home from the Virginia Numismatic Association show yesterday were two Parthian drachms. The are in many ways similar but also very different. The Mithradates II has exceptional eye appeal. I bought it even though I had a similar coin of that ruler. I like the style of most coins from the early Parthian kings but the new Mithradates II just speaks to me. Certainly a lot of the appeal is the toning in the recesses. Notice the splayed toes on the archer and the clothing details on both sides. I even like the accidental collision of the northbound sigma and eastbound mu in the upper left corner of the reverse. The beard is a bit shorter than some for this king. I will have to do a bit more research before I am comfortable making a mint assignment but I suppose it is the standard Ecbatana. [ATTACH=full]289870[/ATTACH]</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Unlike the Mithradates II, my new Gotarzes I was a bargain bin item. Also toned (I like toned) it has much less eye appeal, a much poorer strike and irregular surfaces that explain why it was less than 1/3 the price of the other coin. I did not have a Gotarzes I drachm and was pleased to find this one retained enough detail to allow it to be cataloged in Sellwood to the Rhagae mint #33.4 with distinctively shaped tiara decorations that I will call &#039;rabbits&#039; as opposed to the other choice which I&#039;ll call &#039;ducks&#039;. My ID here is from both Sellwood and Shore but I see that some are now saying this coin is Sinatruces. I will require more investigation before accepting that move. Parthian coins are not always identified with certainty and there are even a couple periods filled with an &#039;Unknown King&#039;. That confusion in history is what you deserve when you all write your name as Arsakes (founder of the dynasty).</p><p>[ATTACH=full]289871[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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