Sold, thank you! Hello friends, I have for sale a coin that would be important to anyone interested in Judaean and Seleucid history. (See transaction details at the end of the post.) Antiochus VII was the last of the "great" Seleucid kings, ruling from 138 to 129 BC. According to Josephus, the Hasmonean king John Hyrcanus paid Antiochus VII a tribute of three thousand talents, directly from King David's sepulchre, in order to spare Jerusalem. The tribute must have worked, because Josephus also records that Antiochus treated the Jews very well, and they themselves bestowed the title "Euergetes" on him, meaning "Benefactor." We don't really know what happened after that event, as Josephus goes silent, and the Book of Maccabees ends before Antiochus' time. However, we do know that Hyrcanus refrained from attacking Seleucid-controlled areas during his rule, and that he even assisted Antiochus in his various campaigns. This coin, like all of the largest high-grade ancient Greek silvers, is absolutely wonderful in hand: large, bold, and engraved with the highest artistry. The Seleucids were among the first to portray their currently-reigning emperors on coins, long before the Romans took up the tradition. Athena Nikephoros is quite sharp, down to the smallest details, and this is a super example of the connect-the-dots method of letter engraving. If you don't yet own a great big Greek silver, I highly recommend this coin. An example in comparable near-EF grade sold in CNG 347 Lot 266 for $465 before fees and shipping. Pegasi estimated this coin at $650, which is way too high in my opinion, but I believe it's a nice bargain at $395 shipped. PM me if interested. Antiochus VII Euergetes (Sidetes), 138-129 BC. AR Tetradrachm, 29mm, 15.59g, Antioch Mint. Obv.: Diademed head of Antiochus VII right. Rev.: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ANTIOXOY EVEPΓETOY; Athena Nikephoros standing left; to outer left, monogram above A; all within wreath. Reference: SC 2061.var; HGC 9, 1067d. Another shot, in incandescent room light... Transaction details: Payment by Paypal only please. The price of $395 includes shipping, First-Class Parcel tracked, within the US. International buyers will pay more for insured delivery. All of my coins are guaranteed authentic for life, meaning that if they're ever determined to be fake by NGC or David Sear, you will get a full refund of ALL of your costs at any point in time. Cheers, and happy collecting! JA
