Hi all, I'm looking at picking up a nice example of a King Xerxes AR Siglo Type 3 (480-450 BC). How much should I expect to pay USD? This would be one of my more expensive coins so would appreciate a second opinion! Here is a picture of the type of grade I'm thinking, thanks in advance for the help!
Mine was $35. Darius II - Artaxerxes II, (420 - 375 B.C.) Persian Empire, Lydia, Anatolia AR Siglos O: Kneeling-running figure of the Great King right, bearded, crowned, dagger in right hand, bow in left hand, waist indicated, pellets on sleeves. R: Oblong incuse. Sardes (Sart, Turkey) mint 14mm 5.2g Carradice Type IV (middle) B, pl. XIV, 43; SNG Kayhan 1033; SGCV II 4683
I paid $250 for my Darius the Great, Carradice Type III, in 2013. I probably overpaid by a significant margin, but I really wanted it.
Persia Achaemenid Type III spear over shoulder Darius I to Xerxes II Ca 485-420 BCE AR Siglos Bankers Marks Incuse rev
I paid almost $200 for mine back in 2015. Likewise, I probably overpaid, but I loved the counter stamps on this one, which I would not be able to fine on another. In that sense, it is unique and worth the cost to me: Persian Empire Darius I to Xerxes II, r. 485-420 B.C. Sardes Mint, AR Siglos, 15.87mm x 5.6 grams Obv.: King running right holding spear and bow Rev.: Incuse punch; Ref.: SGCV 3428, Carradice Type IIIb, Group A/B (pl. XII, 17)
I got an average example at the summer ANA show in 2014. The dealer had a pick pile of them. I think it was $50 or so.
How about a QUARTER-Siglos? Hmmm... I don't think I paid a quarter of the Siglos price... Persia Achaemenid Type IV dagger quiver running Darius I to Xerxes II 455-420 BCE AR QUARTER-Siglos 1.35g 8mm Incuse rev
I've got a bunch of these. While they may all look alike at first, there are many subtle variations, some very rare and desirable. Of course style, wear, centering and punch marks will also factor in to the price. I purchased both of these from Forumancientcoins:
Value/price on all coins is a matter of opinion. Most people seem to think desirability follows with a lack of wear but I prefer coins with the important details on the flan. In the case of each type of these, that means 'full bow'. Type II (I have no Type I) Type III - I need a better one with clear crown without losing feet or bow. That is not easy. This was $116 in 1989 from what was to become CNG. Type IV - preferably with clear dagger, crown and feet
These sigloi are nice little coins and can be found relatively cheap if youre patient. This one cost met €27.50 in 2019 (~$30) from a seller I know. There are four banker marks on the reverse, and one on the obverse (more a punch), which makes it more intruiging for me (you can find an overview of all the banker marks in the link below). KINGS OF PERSIA, Xerxes I - Darius II. Denomination: AR SIglos (Type IIIb (early)), minted: Sardis; ca. 485-420 bc Obv: Kneeling-running figure of the Great King right, transverse spear with point downward in right, bow in left, bearded, crowned. Drapery with naturalistic fold over the advanced left knee. Central banker mark. Rev: Incuse, with four bankers marks: at 9'o clock nr 71/72, at 6'o clock nr 46, at 3'o clock nr. 47; central nr. 1, as published by George F. Hill in the British Museum Catalog, volume on Persia, p. cxxxvii (found here: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=Siglos) Weight: 5.5g; Ø:1.2mm. Catalogue: Carradice Type IIIb C (pl. XIV, 36). BMC Arabia pl. XXV, 15.. Provenance: Ex T. Nuij; acq.: 04-2019 AR Siglos (Type IIIb (early). Xerxes I - Darius II, c. 485 - 420 BC. c. 5.55 - 5.60 g.) Sardis mint. Possibly introduced in connection with the accession of Xerxes.
Wow, that's a great type 2. Nice coin! I would love to have one like that with all the detail showing. It seems much easier to find a daric with everything than a Siglos though.
Gold is softer and more valuable. It probably was handled by the more experienced mint workers and was not as rushed for time. Some metals get all the luck!
I very much like this type and have a few examples myself (see below). Yet, in case that you are looking for this type because of the association with Xerxes, it's probably necessary to add that some recent and from my non-expert perspective convincing scholarship argues that these coins constitute regional issues from the Persian satrapy of Lydia instead of Achaemenid imperial coins. Though they were the predominant type of coin from Asia Minor under Persian rule, it seems questionable whether the sigloi and dareikoi were actually struck on behalf of the Great Kings. An informative English-language article on this topic by Nicolas Assur Corfù that would have profited from a capable copy-editor can be found here, and the has been discussed on CT here. Concerning prices, I paid ca. $20 for the first coin below, which I bought mainly for the interesting banker's marks, $45 for the second one, and $60 for the last one, which is the prettiest though it is a fourrée. That might give you an idea of the price range that these come in. Good luck with your search for a nice example! Xerxes I – Artaxerxes II, "Achaemenid Empire" (probably Lydian regional issue), siglos, ca. 485–375 BC. Obv: Great King kneeling left, holding transverse spear and bow, numerous banker's marks. Rev: irregular punch. 15mm, 5.43g. Ref: Carradice 1987, type III B. Darius II – Artaxerxes II, "Achaemenid Empire" (probably Lydian regional issue), siglos, ca. 420–375 BC. Obv: Great King kneeling r., holding dagger and bow. Rev: oblong punch, test punches. 19mm, 5.22g. Ref: Carradice 1987, type IV B. Ex Ken Dorney. Artaxerxes II – Darius III, "Achaemenid Empire" (probably Lydian regional issue), fourrée siglos, ca. 375–336 BC. Obv: Great King kneeling left, holding dagger and bow, three pellets on chest. Rev: irregular punch. 14.4mm, 4.92g. Ref: Carradice 1987, type IV C (prototype).
I picked up these three roughies for $20 for the lot. They are very poor examples, but I mean it’s near 2,500 year old history for the price of a few Starbucks coffees so I couldn’t turn it down.
I got a little bit of Siglos envy with @dougsmit type II and went searching. I found this one and picked it up today. PERSIAN EMPIRE. AR Siglos (5.35g), time of Dareios I to Xerxes I, c. 505-480 BC. Persian king kneeling right, drawing bow, quiver at shoulder / Incuse punch. Sardes mint. Carradice Type II (pl. 11/12); Sunrise 21; BMC Arabia pl. XXVII, 23. Toned Very Fine, nice example of the rare type II.
