Sale: Nomos 1, Lot: 124. Estimate CHF2500.  Closing Date: Tuesday, 5 May 2009.  Sold For CHF2700. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

BAKTRIA, Greco-Baktrian Kingdom. Eukratides I. Circa 170-145 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 16.95 g 12), circa 170-164/3. Diademed and draped bust of Eukratides to right Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΕΥΚΡΑΤΙΔΟΥ The Dioskouri galloping to right, each holding spear and palm branch; to left, Δ; below right, monogram. Bopearachchi Series 1, F. SNG ANS 434-435. With an enormous and very fine portrait, beautifully centered on a broad flan. Some minor marks, otherwise, about extremely fine.

The coinage of Eukratides I can be divided into two main series: the first bears a simple diademed bust on the obverse and the legend, ‘king Eukratides’; the second and far more extensive group bears a helmeted bust with the legend ‘Great King Eukratides’. Since the second type was already copied by a Seleucid usurper in 162 it must have been in existence by then (it surely had to have started at least a year before that); thus, we can date Eukratides’ initial type to the early 160s. The earlier type is by far the finer: the bust on this piece shows a mature man with strong, individual features and is a very life-like portrait.