Extremely Rare Drachm of Heliokles II

Sale: CNG 82, Lot: 789. Estimate $5000.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 16 September 2009.  Sold For $6000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

BAKTRIA, Indo-Greek Kingdom. Heliokles II. Circa 90-75 BC. AR Drachm (2.32 g, 12h). Diademed heroic bust left, seen from behind, wearing crested helmet adorned with bull's horn and ear, aegis on shoulder, brandishing spear / Zeus standing left, brandishing thunderbolt and holding long scepter; Σ to right. Bopearachchi 6A; cf. SNG ANS 1150 (for type in tetradrachm, but different control mark). Good VF, lightly toned, minor copper deposit on edge. Extremely rare, the first specimen to appear at recent auction, Bopearachchi records only five examples, one in private hands, one in the Ashmolean, and three in the BM.