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Research Coins: Electronic Auction

 
196, Lot: 80. Estimate $300.
Sold for $755. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

BAKTRIA, Greco-Baktrian Kingdom. Diodotos II. Coregent with Diodotos I, circa 246-235 BC. AR Drachm (17mm, 4.05 g, 6h). Mint A (near Aï Khanoum). Struck in the name of Antiochos II of Syria, circa 240 BC. Diademed head right / Zeus striding left, brandishing thunderbolt, holding aegis; to inner left, wreath above eagle standing left. Holt Series C, Group 3; Bopearachchi Series 3A; SNG ANS -; MIG Series 68a; SC 633.2. Near VF, light cleaning marks. Extremely rare denomination.


Diodotos II was son of Diodotos I, and made joint king with his father around the time of the succession of Seleukos II in Syria (SC p. 218). Numismatic analysis by Holt, later reexamined and confirmed by Kritt, verifies that the coinage in the name of Antiochos II of Syria comprised the totality of the coinage in their joint reign. This analysis has also conclusively demonstrated that two distinct portraits are discernible in this coinage, and that the obviously "older" portrait belongs to the father, while the clearly "younger" portrait is that of the son. Furthermore, their work has shown that the Diodotid coinage in the name of a king Diodotos belongs to the reign of Diodotos II following his father's death. The reason for the use of Antiochos' name on the early Baktrian coinage is uncertain. The numismatic evidence indicates that this coinage continued into the beginning of the reign of Diodotos II, which clearly indicates that it was not a 'satrapal' issue paying homage to the Seleukid monarch, but was a convention unrelated to the political relationship of the two kingdoms. Most likely it is either to assert the legitimacy of the Diodotid kings or the validity of their coinage, or perhaps both. The wreath symbol is apparently indicative of a significant event in the reign of the kingdom, as it appears at both Diodotid mints simultaneously, and is placed in the same position, above the eagle. Prior to this, a monogram specific to each mint and issue was placed on the reverse in this position. At mint A, the monograms were completely remove, whereas at mint B the monograms were moved to other positions. It is thought that the wreath most likely represents the Diodotid victory over the Parthians, circa 240-early 230s BC.