Rare Pre-Roman Posthumous Philip Tetradrachm

Sale: CNG 76, Lot: 804. Estimate $300.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 12 September 2007.  Sold For $300. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

SELEUKID KINGS of SYRIA. Philip I Philadelphos. Circa 95/4-76/5 BC. AR Tetradrachm (15.23 g, 12h). Antioch mint. Posthumous issue, struck circa 69-57 BC. Diademed head right / Zeus Nikephoros seated left; PA monogram to inner left, monogram below throne, H exergue; all within wreath. SNG Spaer -; SMA 452; Babelon 1561; Lanz 44, 284 (same obv. die). VF, toned, light porosity, short flan crack, die shift. Very rare.

According to the forthcoming publication of SC II, this issue belongs to a rare series of coins imitating the types of Philip I that were struck before the Roman administration of Gabininus. While their weight standard is lower than the lifetime issues of Philip, they are in line with the standard of Antiochos XIII, and much heavier than the Roman issues (see Butcher, p. 198). While the hoard evidence indicates they were struck circa 69-57 BC, the circumstances of their issue are as yet unknown.