Since Parthian interest seemed slightly up, I figured I would share my latest one instead of dumping it in the "Saturday night" thread. I recently acquired a pretty nice Vologases VI. It was priced reasonably & it seemed to be in much better condition than these types go for. Plus I needed him so it was a no-brainer. And some may wonder why I didn't bust it out of the slab...my gut is telling me to keep the coin in it. So I am doing so. Vologases VI ( 208 - 226 A.D.) Billon Tetradrachm O: Bust left with long, tapered beard wearing tiara with hooks on crest, horn on side and long, curved earflap and earring. Lock of hair on forehead representing royal wart; B behind head. Diadem with loop at top and three ends. R: King seated left on throne, Tyche standing right before him, giving him diadem and holding scepter. Year 520=208/9 A.D. 13.29g 26mm Seleucia Mint Sellwood 88.2 Shore 450 NGC CH F Surface 3/5 Strike 5/5
Nice coin, it has good detail. Nice size, too. Yes the types without archers are hard to find and often pretty poor. Which is why mine has an archer... Vologases VI Drachm, 208-228 Ekbatana. Silver, 21mm, 3.56g. Bust left, with pointed beard, wearing tiara; Lw behind. Archer (Arsakes I) seated right on throne, holding bow (Sellwood 88.19).
Nice pick-up @Mat . Tetradrachms of Vologases VI tend to be especially low-silver billon, it's not hard to guess that the Arsakid dynasty was near its end. Here's a drachm and a bronze coin from the same king:
Nice one! This tetradrachm, minted for an earlier and more common predecessor of the same regnal name, shows the same reverse type. It's interesting that the Parthians, different from the Romans, changed their coin designs as little as possible when a new ruler took the throne: Parthian Empire, under Vologases IV, AR tetradrachm, SE 464, month Apellaios (November 152 AD), Seleukeia on the Tigris mint. Obv: Diademed and draped bust l., wearing tiara; B behind. Rev: [SEΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ / Β]ΑΣΙΛΕΩ[Ν - ΑΡΣΑΚΟY / O]ΛΑΓΑΣΟ[Υ - ΔΙΚΑΙΟY - Ε]ΠΙΦΑΝΟY[Σ / ΦΙΛΕΛΛΗΝΟΣ], date: ΔΞY – ΑΠΕΛΑΙΟΥ; Vologases seated l. on throne, Tyche standing r. before him, presenting a diadem and holding sceptre. 27mm, 13.81g. Ref: Sellwood 84.13.
Very nice coins. I have one of V IV as well but it's overcleaned. Might replace eventually, not in a rush too.
