Good evening everyone! Just thought i'd show and tell about a recent FSR win. This one is a billon drachm of Phraates V (also known as Phraataces "litte Phraates") who ruled from about 2 B.C to 4 A.D. This drachm, which is styled quite a bit differently than the drachms from Parthia we usually see, features Phraataces on the obverse, with Nike flying left, holding diadem. The reverse features the typical (though oddly rendered) seated archer (Arsaces I) with a bit of degraded script (if there is a source available to better decipher Parthian script, please let me know). This coin, from the East of the empire, is billon. Which from my understanding, was typical around this time period with coins minted at Mithradatkart. The present coin is well struck, and caught my eye during this sale, as many of these that I have seen don't look this nice, imho. Phraataces is well known for being the child, and eventually, the husband, of an Italian slave girl named Musa. This seems to have displeased (no wonder here) the Parthian nobility who rose up and subsequently overrthrew and killed both Musa and Phraataces, who was succeeded by Orodes III. If anyone has any similar billon drachms, please post! Phraates V billion drachm. Mithradatkart mint ca 2 B.C.-4 A.D. Sellwood 56.6 3.8 gm.
Are you sure that that is the correct coin? The holder lists it as Sellwood 56.6, but the coin is definitely Sellwood 63.12 (attributed to Artabanos II in Sellwood and Shore). Still an interesting coin, but not Phraataces. Re: Parthian script, I'd advise you not to worry too much about the inscriptions on later (Orodes II and after) Parthian drachms, as the Greek gets degraded quickly and it tells you nothing useful for attribution. A couple of late issues do give the king's initials or name in Aramaic, but once the Greek starts to go bad, it never recovers.
I just got on Parthia.com...yes, it appears you are right! It is a 63.12! This is proof that you cant always trust attributions from sellers. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.
