Sale: Triton XII, Lot: 401. Closing Date: Monday, 5 January 2009. BID Estimate $50.000
BAKTRIA, Greco-Baktrian Kingdom. Agathokles. Circa 185-180 BC. AR Tetradrachm (16.24 g, 12h). Commemorative issue struck for Diodotos I in the name of Antiochos II. Diademed head of Diodotos I right / ANTIOXOY NIKATOPOΣ, Zeus Bremetes standing left, seen from behind, extending left arm covered by aegis, and brandishing thunderbolt in right hand; to left, wreath above eagle standing left; monogram in inner right field. Bopearachchi -; MIG -; SNG ANS -; Bopearachchi & Rahman 1057 (same dies); O. Bopearachchi, De l’Indus à l’Oxus, 68 (this coin). Good VF, minor surface roughness. Extremely rare, only the second specimen recorded.
The purpose of the rare commemorative issues of Agathokles, which copy the coin types of his predecessors, with the predecessor's name and cult epithet on the obverse, and Agathokles' name and titles on the reverse, was to advertise the line of succession from Alexander the Great to himself, presumably as an aspect of his civil war propaganda. Taking this and the following lot together, it is now possible to view a part of the process which led to the creation of this series. Initially this issue was meant to be struck as this coin indicates - bearing the predecessor’s name and epithet on the reverse. The following lot, 402, shows that this arrangement was unacceptable without the inclusion of Agathokles’ name on the coin to demonstrate the ancestral connection. The same obverse die used for lot 401 now has the legend ANTIOXOY NIKATOPOΣ engraved upon it, moved from the reverse, while the reverse has a new legend, BAΣIΛEΥONTOΣ AΓAΘOKΛEOYΣ ΔIKAIOY, clearly emphasizing the association between Agathokles and his “ancestor” (note that the diadem tie has also been reengraved to accomodate the obverse legend). This type commemorating the first Baktrian king, Diodotos I, is the only one within the pedigree series known to have this early issue with the commemorated name on the reverse.
BAKTRIA, Greco-Baktrian Kingdom. Agathokles. Circa 185-180 BC. AR Tetradrachm (16.24 g, 12h). Commemorative issue struck for Diodotos I in the name of Antiochos II. Diademed head of Diodotos I right / ANTIOXOY NIKATOPOΣ, Zeus Bremetes standing left, seen from behind, extending left arm covered by aegis, and brandishing thunderbolt in right hand; to left, wreath above eagle standing left; monogram in inner right field. Bopearachchi -; MIG -; SNG ANS -; Bopearachchi & Rahman 1057 (same dies); O. Bopearachchi, De l’Indus à l’Oxus, 68 (this coin). Good VF, minor surface roughness. Extremely rare, only the second specimen recorded.
The purpose of the rare commemorative issues of Agathokles, which copy the coin types of his predecessors, with the predecessor's name and cult epithet on the obverse, and Agathokles' name and titles on the reverse, was to advertise the line of succession from Alexander the Great to himself, presumably as an aspect of his civil war propaganda. Taking this and the following lot together, it is now possible to view a part of the process which led to the creation of this series. Initially this issue was meant to be struck as this coin indicates - bearing the predecessor’s name and epithet on the reverse. The following lot, 402, shows that this arrangement was unacceptable without the inclusion of Agathokles’ name on the coin to demonstrate the ancestral connection. The same obverse die used for lot 401 now has the legend ANTIOXOY NIKATOPOΣ engraved upon it, moved from the reverse, while the reverse has a new legend, BAΣIΛEΥONTOΣ AΓAΘOKΛEOYΣ ΔIKAIOY, clearly emphasizing the association between Agathokles and his “ancestor” (note that the diadem tie has also been reengraved to accomodate the obverse legend). This type commemorating the first Baktrian king, Diodotos I, is the only one within the pedigree series known to have this early issue with the commemorated name on the reverse.
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