The Baltimore show provided two Parthian drachms that are very different from each other. One, I may not have identified correctly. For that matter, I'm not terribly sure anyone is absolutely certain of the ID on that one. The second is the easiest to identify of all Parthian coins. One is fully clean; the other is quite toned. One might be welcome in many collections while the other makes me wonder if I should have left it. The seller and I were not certain of the ID for this coin. Separating Artabanus III from Artabanus II is not something of which I am sure. Shore gives the hint that III had a longer beard and greater tendency to corrupt legends. I liked the huge, baroque flan and the low price. I'd prefer it were Artabanus III. Opinions? A Parthian I had been wanting for quite some time is this drachm of Vonones I (8-12 AD). Unlike most Parthian rulers, Vonones put his actual name on the coin (both sides!) instead of the dynastic name Arsakes. Instead of the standard seated archer reverse, this coin has Victory walking. The only thing I do not like about the coin is the extreme cleaning it has received. The best thing about Vonones I coins to me are the (Greek) legends on the reverse. Starting at the top and working clockwise, it reads King Vonones Conqueror of Artabanus. The obverse simply reads King Vonones. The final lunate sigmas both lay down a bit strangely but the coin is as easy to read as Parthians get. Part of the reason for these differences was certainly that Vonones had been a hostage in Rome for many years and was probably more Roman in many ways than Parthian.
Nice acquisitions, Doug. I agree the first is likely Artabanus III. For me the only other possibility would be Gotarzes II (Sellwood type 65.33)...and I only say that because the primary distinguishing characteristic, the royal wart, would be in the forehead area of the obverse, where yours is worn. The differences in the reverse legends between the two types is negligible, and in fact yours has sort of an amalgam of the two listed in Sellwood. The beard on yours is certainly too short to call it an Artabanus II. Curiously the top line of the reverse legend on your coin is missing, as is half of the line at left. Perhaps a striking error of some sort, or a celator who got distracted?
Very neat pick-ups ... yah sadly, I do not have one of these cool Parthian babies yet (often they make my sights, but I'm usually outbid) I love that you've snagged two that have all the reverse info (well done)
