Extremely Rare Fifth Tetradrachm

Triton XVI, Lot: 300. Estimate $2000. Sold for $6100. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

KINGS of MACEDON. Antigonos I Monophthalmos. As Strategos of Asia, 320-306/5 BC. AR Fifth Tetradrachm (16mm, 3.27 g, 6h). Babylon mint. Struck under Peithon, circa 315-311 BC. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin / Club and quiver over bow; monogram in wreath to left, monogram to right. Price 3727 var. (monogram; same obv. die as illustration); SNG Saroglos –. Good VF, toned, very light porosity. Extremely rare, possibly the second known.

The other known example, published in Price, is in the BM. The reverse dies of these two are remarkably similar, and thus likely from the same engraver. Interestingly, this lot includes an inventory ticket from F. Kovacs, marked “8/1987” on the back, which was a year after the BM acquired their example. It is therefore likely that these two coins were found together.