I finally managed to get an Antiochos IV coin from the Egyptianizing series, it are the only big boys that can match up the Ptolemy hockey pucks. The one I have is not the biggest, there are 2 other types of the Egyptianizing series that are way bigger than mine, with the biggest weighing an astonishing 72g and 44mm. This is mine: Antiochos IV Epiphanes Egyptianizing series (175 B.C. - 164 B.C.) Obverse: Wreathed head of Isis right. Reverse: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ANTIOXOY ΘEOY EΠIΦANOYΣ, Eagle standing right on thunderbolt. This coin weights 18,17g and 25mm in diameter, not that big but much bigger than the usual Seleukid coins. The reason for the mint of the Egyptianizing series is still in question. Antiochos IV issued in Syria repeatedly handsome and innovative coinages to advertise his claims of divinity, his devotion to Zeus, his Egyptian victories, his beneficence toward the cities of his kingdom, and his great festival at Daphne in 166 B.C. It is very difficult to imagine that as the conqueror of Egypt, perhaps even newly crowned Pharaoh, he settled for a low-value coinage that presented him as a mere imitator of Ptolemy Philometor. Before the conquest of Egypt by Antiochos IV, Philometor also issued coins with low weight, careless manufacture, imitative types and poor style. One explanation Antiochos IV issued this Egyptianizing series is as campaign currency, to be used by the Seleukid troops as sitarchia (provision money) and spent in local Egyptian markets. Such a campaign currency doesn't need to be linked to a claim of sovereignty over Egypt, in the eastern Hellenistic world the use of the royal title is attached to the king himself, not his kingdom, and did not imply authority over a particular territory. Other such campaign currencies have been identified before, notably bronzes of Antiochos III with an elephant reverse for example. However, any coinage struck especially for use by the Seleucid army in Egypt would likely have atleast had Seleukid dynasty or military symbols, not standard Ptolemaic types. That Seleukid coins were unfamiliar to the Egyptians should not have been a problem for their use in Egypt as currency. A conquering king had the power to compel acceptance of his currency, this was also done by Antiochos III in Coele Syria during the Fifth Syrian War, why Antiochos IV did not do this, is unknown. A more promising hypothesis is that these bronzes were produced for payments to Egyptian partisans of the Syrian king. It is difficult to imagine the actual extent of support for the invader among the native Egyptians. There is clear evidence that the Egyptians, like all occupied populations, suffered shock and hardship. Post your Seleukid eagles!
Nice coin @Pavlos. On the list along with several dozen other types. Antiochos VIII Mint: Antioch 121 to 113 BC Obvs: No inscription. Antiochos radiate head right, within dotted border. Revs: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ANTIOXOY EΠIΦANOYΣ, Eagle w/scepter facing left. Palm in ex. 19mm, 7.2g Ref: SNG Isr.328.2503, SC 2300 Achaios, usurper Mint: Sardes 220 to 214 BC Obvs: Laureate head of Apollo right. Revs: BAΣIΛEΩΣ AXAIOY, Eagle standing right, palm branch over shoulder. M right. AE 17x19mm, 6.00g Ref: v. SC 955.2 Note: Unpublished with missing control in outer left.
Nice coin @Pavlos . It's a real monster of an eagle! Here is my Seleucid eagle. Seleucid Empire Antiochos VII Sidites, 138-129 BC AR Tetradrachm, Tyre mint, struck ca. 131-130 BC (SE 182) Wt.: 13.47 g Dia.: 28 mm Obv.: Antiochus VII Diademed and draped bust right Rev.: Eagle standing left on prow left; palm frond behind; to left, monogram above club surmounted by Tyre monogram; to right, monogram above BΠP (date); monogram between legs Ref.: SC 2109.10c; HGC 9, 1074; DCA 198 Write up: The First Jewish Coin and its Modern Descendant
SELEUKID EMPIRE. Antiochos IV Epiphanes. 175-164 BC. Æ (43mm, 71.83 g, 1h). “Egyptianizing” series. Antioch on the Orontes mint. Struck 169-168 BC. Obv: Laureate head of "Zeus-Serapis right", wearing tainia (with Osiris crown at tip?) Rev: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ANTIOXOY ΘEOY EΠIΦANOYΣ (King Antiochos God Manifest); Eagle standing right on thunderbolt. Refs: SC 1412; HGC 9, 642. ex-Classical Numismatic Group, e-Auction 426, August 2018, lot 221 Holed?
And of course Ed got the astonishing biggest coin of the series, great coin! That one is rare at any condition.
As to the holed question, I believe when the flan was removed from the mold, the attached sprue took a nice chunk out of it leaving what appears to be a hole. The other possibility is an attempt was made to remove the sprue since it would have still been hot and damaged the flan after the fact.
Good post! Mine from the series is like yours - 19.2g with Isis. Our coins differ in the orientation of the blank with the tapered edge on your reverse matching my obverse.
Great coins all and a line of coinage that I was completely unfamiliar with til now. Well, old dogs can earn new tricks.
I really wanted an Egyptian octobol after seeing one Joe Sermarini was hawking at the New York International. I was unsuccessful at auction for a couple of years. Bidders see the word "octobol" and start adding zeros. If this large Seleukid coin has a special name I don't know it. It was put in an auction against two nicer examples. I think few noticed that the first lot was the big one. I have noticed really large and really small coins suffer price-wise in auctions that size all coin images to an identical pixel width. https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=364271 https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=364272
SELEUKID KINGS of SYRIA. Antiochos IV Epiphanes. 175-164 BC. Æ 33mm (75.06 g, 1h). Antioch mint. Struck 169-168 BC. Obv: Laureate head of Zeus right. Rev: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ANTIOXOY ΘEOY EΠIΦANOYΣ, Eagle standing right on thunderbolt. SC 1412; SMA 58; Houghton 117; Houghton II 331; SNG Spaer 978. Exceptional for issue, despite obverse flan flaw.
Interesting coin and great examples. I have a somewhat crusty, dusty Isis example - it came from an eBay auction for $1.36: Seleucid Kingdom Æ 27 Antiochos IV Epiphanes Post-Conquest Egyptianized Series. Antioch Mint (169-168 B.C.) Head of Isis right with taenia & Isis headdress / BAΣIΛEΩΣ ANTIOXOY ΘEOY EΠIΦANOYΣ, eagle standing rt. on thunderbolt SC 1414; SNG 981; Sv. 1417. (14.15 grams / 27 mm)
Antiochus VII Euergetes ("the Benefactor") and an angry eagle Tyre mint. Dated SE 177 (136/5 BC). 26 mm, 13.36 g Obverse: Diademed head right, border of dots Reverse: ANTIOXOY Eagle standing left on left prow; palm frond in background; to left, Tyre monogram A / PE above club; in right field A ΣΥ / ZOΡ (date); mark between legs Ref.: SC 2109.5a;
