Unpublished Persic Standard Didrachm

Sale: CNG 79, Lot: 343. Estimate $5000.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 17 September 2008.  Sold For $6000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

IONIA, Magnesia ad Maeandrum. Circa 210-200 BC. AR Didrachm (11.08 g, 10h). Persic standard. Theodoros, son of Theogenes, magistrate. Warrior, holding lance, on horse rearing right; monogram below / Bull butting left; grain ear behind, ΘEOΔΩPOΣ/ΘEOΓENO[Y] in exergue; all within circular Maeander pattern. Kinns, Two -; SNG von Aulock -; SNG Copenhagen -; SNG München -; BMC -. Good VF, a hint of porosity. Unpublished with monogram and this magistrate.

The weight and type of this piece clearly place it among the Persic standard didrachms detailed by Kinns, all of which are very rare. What is also significant about this piece is the addition of a monogram on the obverse, and the magistrate, who is unattested for all of the denominations during this period.