Sale: Nomos 5, Lot: 176. Estimate CHF1500.  Closing Date: Monday, 24 October 2011.  Sold For CHF2200. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

KINGS of BITHYNIA. Prusias II Cynegos. 182-149 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 16.79 g 12), Nikomedeia. Head of Prusias II to right, with slight beard and wearing winged diadem. Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΠΡΟΥΣΙΟΥ Zeus standing left, half draped, crowning the king’s name with an olive wreath held in his right hand and holding a long scepter in his left; to left, eagle standing left on thunderbolt over monogram. RG 10. An attractive piece, well centered and toned. Nearly extremely fine.

From the PGB collection.

Prusias II was a king about whom little good can be said. His epithet means “the Hunter” and that was the activity he liked most. As his reign went on he became more and more disliked; he was killed after his much more attractive son Nikomedes revolted against him and took over the throne to universal acclaim.