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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Pavlos, post: 3316483, member: 96635&quot;]First of all great coin! I have no idea about the rarity of the mint, I haven&#039;t seen a previous example of mint 6A before.</p><p><br /></p><p>To your question, indeed very interesting it was only a very short lived issue. Alexander I Balas &#039;father&#039; Antiochos IV Epiphanes (if it was truly his father), issued municipal coinage in 19 cities when he started to reign. The purpose of these issues was probably both to enrich the cities and to promote civic pride. He was was well-known for his interest in civic institutions. He even had himself elected as city magistrate in Antioch and he also tried to interact with common people by appearing in the public bath houses.</p><p><br /></p><p>Unlike the issues under Antiochus, those struck under Alexander do not appear at the various cities in the same year, but rather in a progression of different years. Also, proof lacks of some sort of clear royal program of municipal revitalization by Alexander I Balas. It is therefore very likely civic authorities seem to be the authorizing force behind the issue of these municipal coins. By striking similar municipal coinages to honor Alexander I Balas at the beginning of his reign the cities may have been looking back to the benefits that they had enjoyed under Antiochus IV with the hope that Alexander would continue them. Alexander I Balas claimed after all to be the long-lost son of the well-liked king, Antiochos IV. </p><p><br /></p><p>However why was the coinage so very short lived? Although it is not possible to be certain what started the sudden and brief emission of the municipal coins it seems plausible that they may have been struck in response to an official visit of Alexander to Syria Seleucis, following his marriage to Cleopatra Thea at Ake-Ptolemais in 150 BC. Until the death of Demetrios I Soter (the king before Alexander) in 151/0 BC, he had attempted to maintain northern Syria as a base for waging war against the usurping Alexander I Balas. Therefore, the period in which the municipal coins were issued seems to coincide with a time when Alexander might have visited the Syrian cities and reconcile them to their new king. Atleast it makes perfect chronological sense.</p><p><br /></p><p>The theory of a special royal tour commemorated by the municipal coinages is also attractive because otherwise Alexander I Balas seems to have been rather disinterested in the cities of Syria Seleucis. The literary sources indicate that he much preferred to spend his time at his court in Ake-Ptolemais and rarely resided at the traditional royal capital of Antioch. </p><p><br /></p><p>These are all theories, however, but I think it makes perfect sense Alexander Balas, not only claimed to be the son of Antiochos IV but also wanted to be an example of him. Antiochos IV was a great king in my honesty and good successor of Antiochos III the Great, which was also a great king (Well expect his stupid decision for the Battle of Thermopylae which let to his massive failure in the Battle of Magnesia).</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>I agree with [USER=87080]@TheRed[/USER] please show that coin when it arrives, if it is the coin I think it is, it is a rare beauty. Also, very special coin you showed, I have never seen that type before.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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