Second Known

CNG 90, Lot: 756. Estimate $3000. Sold for $4250. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

PERSIA, Alexandrine Empire. Uncertain satraps of Babylon. Circa 328-311 BC. AV Half Daric (12mm, 4.13 g). Head right, wearing bashlyk / Patterned incuse punch. Nicolet-Pierre pl. 30, G = G. Le Rider, “Monnaies grecques récemment acquises par le Cabinet de Paris,” RN 1969, 14 = Hess-Leu 36, lot 367. VF, slightly weak strike on obverse. Extremely rare, the second known, and the sole example available (the other is in the BN).

While the obverse clearly shows the portrait of a satrap, the identification of the individual is currently unknown. After the death of Mazaios in 328 BC, the satraps at Babylon continued to issue the ‘local’ gold and silver coinages that Mazaios had began, a practice that was even continued after Seleukos I regained control over the satrapy in 311 BC. There were five satraps who held the office from 328-311 BC: Stamenes (328-c. 324), Archon (c. 328-321), Dokimos (321-320), Seleukos I (320-315), and Peithon (315-311).