Sale: Nomos 1, Lot: 118. Estimate CHF12500.  Closing Date: Tuesday, 5 May 2009.  Sold For CHF11000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

SELEUKID KINGS of SYRIA. Seleukos I Nikator. 312-281 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 17.08 g 7), Seleucia, circa 296/5 and later. Laureate head of Zeus to right Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΕΛΕΥΚΟΥ Athena, hurling spear with her right hand and holding shield with her left, standing right in quadriga of elephants moving to right; behind, Β; above and to right, anchor right and ΔΙ. ESM 29. SC130.1b. A superb coin, well struck and unusually well preserved. Attractively toned, good extremely fine.

The elephant quadriga serves as a reminder of the 500 elephants Seleukos received from Chandragupta as part of the peace settlement in 303.