Two Very Rare Drachms of the “Unknown King”

Sale: Triton XIII, Lot: 789. Estimate $1000.  Closing Date: Monday, 4 January 2010.  Sold For $1000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

KINGS of PARTHIA. Unknown King. Circa AD 140. AR Drachm (3.73 g, 1h). Ekbatana mint. Diademed bust left, wearing long beard, earring, and spiral torque; all within pelleted border / (quadrate O)ΛIIΛII/(quadrate O)ΛIIΛIΛ I ΛIΛ[N[(quadrate O)V]/[I]VIIΓIT[(quadrate O)V] [Λ]IXVI(quadrate O)V IΠΦΛN(quadrate O)V[(three-bar Σ)]/ΦVΛIΛNX[(quadrate O)(three-bar Σ)] (sic), archer (Arsakes I) seated right on throne, holding bow; monogram below bow. Sellwood 83.1; Shore 426; PDC 21626 and 34004 (this coin). VF, lightly toned. Very rare.

From the Todd A. Ballen Collection. Ex Peus 386 (26 April 2006), lot 431; Triton VII (12 January 2004), lot 501; Peus 338 (27 April 1994), lot 236.

Nothing is known about this king, save for his coinage. His portraits are similar to Vologases III, but for the difference in their diadem. Although he did not place his name on the reverse, à la Mithradates V, all of his coins omit the name Arsakes (or its barbarous variants), which may have some significance. His coins are all quite rare.