Sale: Triton XI, Lot: 509. Estimate $300.  Closing Date: Monday, 7 January 2008.  Sold For $950. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

SYRIA, Seleucis and Pieria. Antioch. Philip II. AD 247-249. AR Tetradrachm (11.56 g, 6h). Struck AD 247. AVTOK K M IOVLI FILLIPPOC CEB, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust left / DHMARC EXOVCIAC VPATO G, ANTIOXIA/S C in two lines in exergue, eagle standing left with wings displayed, holding wreath in beak. Prieur 405; Butcher -; SNG München -; SNG Copenhagen - . Superb EF.

Philip II’s tetradrachm issues for Antioch offer unique chronological challenges. This coin, clearly an Augustus issue for him, has the date of a third consulship, unattested for him in the epigraphical record. He is recorded as having held that office only twice, and both of these times after he was appointed co-Augustus in AD 247. Only two explanations are possible: either he held a heretofore unknown third consulship prior to his loss of the throne with his father in AD 249, or the reverse dies used for Philip I were used concurrently for Philip II. As the elder Philip held his third consulship in AD 246-247, during which time the younger Philip was created Augustus, then it is highly probable that that this coin for Philip II was struck with reverse dies intended for his father’s issue of that year.